Traditionally, chiropractic care is most commonly rendered for a finite amount of time, usually until the symptoms that initially drove the patient to the office resolve. However, some patients find that periodic chiropractic treatments make them feel better and provide an improved sense of well-being.

Three basic methods of chiropractic care exist: Acute care, Corrective care, and Maintenance or Wellness care.

Acute care is considered "medically necessary," as the patient is typically in a lot of pain and unable to self-manage it. This is usually where most patients begin their chiropractic care. Visits can be frequent, depending upon the severity of the condition. The primary focus is to reduce or eliminate the most obvious symptoms. Nutritional counseling such as an anti-inflammatory diet is often included, and ergonomic-related problems are addressed that may include training for proper bending, lifting, pulling, and pushing methods. At discharge, these patients are typically placed on an "as-needed" plan where they do not reschedule, but rather just come in when they cannot properly manage their condition with what they've learned.

Corrective care is the second phase of treatment. When the pain diminishes, the objective is to stabilize spinal function and promote a more complete healing. Muscles and soft tissues of the spine are strengthened during this stage of care, helping to avoid a relapse.

Maintenance care is rendered as a preventative measure "to keep a healthy individual healthy." Typically, insurance policies exclude payment for supportive and maintenance care; however, this type of care can save time and money by preventing minor problems from becoming more serious.

In a recent study, patients with chronic low back pain (LBP) who received regular treatments every two weeks for a total of 10 months scored the best in pain and disability scores at the 10-month evaluation, compared to two other treatment groups that did not receive "maintenance care." They reported that the pain and disability scores gradually worsened back to pre-treatment levels in the groups NOT receiving chiropractic care every two weeks in this chronic LBP population.

Chiropractic adjustments improve joint motion to retard the degenerative arthritic process, stimulate neuronal changes improving muscle strength and recruitment patterns (which results in improved function), decrease injury episodes and improve your sense of well-being.

For more information contact Dr. Wendy at haydenhealth@gmail.com.