Just as dependencies on unnecessary medications and surgeries should be avoided, patients should not rely on frequent manipulations, no more than 6 per year on the same spinal bone. Spinal manipulation is an important, but small, part of a chiropractic neurologist's treatment capabilities. One of the most misunderstood realities about the chiropractic method is the number of follow-ups needed after an initial adjustment. While each patient will need a different standard of care, there are some general rules that chiropractors can use to inform how they schedule and organize follow-ups.
Therefore, a chiropractor's treatment recommendations often depend on the adjustment technique you are using. In many “full spine” offices across the country, 3 times a week for 4 weeks is a common recommendation. Whether 3 settings per week are “better than 1 or 2 settings per week” is debatable. Some chiropractors might suggest that this is too common and that the body needs time to respond to an adjustment before further treatments are given.
But you'll also find DC who want you to come 5 times a week because that's what their treatment protocols recommend. A larger, higher-quality article (328 patients) published this year found that patients who underwent maintenance chiropractic care experienced 13 days less of bothersome low back pain compared to the control group. When working with patients who resist the idea of multiple appointments, remember to frame chiropractic care as a holistic approach, requiring time, patience, and energy. Palmer dedicated his life to transforming chiropractic care from a “family secret” into a global healing profession.
Chiropractic care is often performed more frequently early in the treatment process, and then clients need to go less often. Chiropractic biophysics is a chiropractic methodology that you can use in your practice to improve patient outcomes.
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