Just as all individuals have a unique lifestyle with varying amounts of work, play and rest, so too does the wear and tear on our spinal alignment vary.  As such, there isn’t one answer to how frequently a person should visit their chiropractor.  When we design a treatment program for you, we take into consideration your individual needs and overall health.  Typically, we schedule a visit whenever you are experiencing spinal misalignment. With that said, knowing when this has occurred can sometimes be difficult—because subluxations can go undetected for some time.

In the same way that tooth decay may not become apparent until a serious cavity has occurred, or a doctor’s visit may seem unnecessary until a health crisis happens, so too can underlying spinal issues begin to take place without our knowledge. This is why regular visits to your chiropractor are the best approach. However, the frequency of the adjustments will be dependent on your personal situation and health goals, the current state of your spinal health, as well as how your body responds to treatment.

Your spinal health is at least partly the result of some of the choices you make: are you a person who chooses a healthy diet and gets regular exercise? Do you have a sedentary job and eat fast food for lunch every day? Are you frequently stressed and anxious in your life? These all may affect your spinal health and the frequency of recommended chiropractic visits. For patients who have no underlying issues we may suggest monthly or even semi-annual visits to treat minor issues as they arise, before they become more of an issue.

If you are already experiencing daily pain or if your back pain has become difficult to manage, it often takes more adjustments to treat the underlying problem. And of course, your mental wellbeing and dietary health pay a key role in your spinal wellness too.

Dr. Erin and I have been in this profession for over a decade now and in our experience our more regular (once or twice a month) patients have better treatment outcomes and experience fewer issues than those who wait weeks or months to address their back pain. These more proactive people seem healthier and tend to have fewer spinal issues than those who take a “wait and see” approach. Importantly, regular checkups lead to a better range of motion in the spine, so these patients tend to move “better” through their days and, consequently, feel happier in their lives. This is the very reason we take a holistic approach to our family’s health. Weather it’s the teeth, the heart, the mind or the spine, our health is the sum total of how we take care ourselves, so a proactive and consistent approach to staying healthy is always going to trump fixing problems as they arise.

There are of course times when our wellness outcome is out of our control such as after an injury or some kind of trauma. When this happens, more frequent adjustments will be required in the beginning and as we work to heal the body the number and frequency of treatments can be scaled back. In this case our success depends on how the body responds to the adjustments. With some people the results come quickly and readily; for others more patience is required. Often the initial wellness state will greatly affect the outcome. For example, in cases where the underlying health of the spine has been effected by poor posture, lack of muscle tone and stress from repetitive strain, it can take significantly longer to get to the outcome we want. Again, patience is key.

When you visit us at Rice Family Chiropractic for your initial consultation, we’ll review your overall health as well as your spinal health to determine the best course of action. Since we take a holistic approach to your health, we’ll also talk about some of the other aspects of your health such as diet and exercise in creating a treatment plan that will lead you to the outcome you hope to achieve.

If you have any questions about potential chiropractic treatment plans or your spinal health, we hope you’ll reach out today to book an appointment with either Dr. James or Dr. Erin. We look forward to discussing your spinal health!

Rice Family Chiropractic

Wellness from our family to yours.

Dr. Erin and James Rice

#310-6525 204 Street

Langley, BC V2Y 3B3

604 539 0542