When recovering from an injury or illness, we all want to see results as quickly as possible. This may explain why so many people turn to fast-acting pain medication when they’re in need. But to fully address and treat the source of your pain or injury, a more comprehensive and holistic approach to care may be required. That’s why millions of patients choose to see a chiropractor to achieve a faster recovery and long-lasting results.
But how long does effective chiropractic care really take? In this blog, we’re answering this important question and more to help you determine whether or not visiting a chiropractor could be effective for your healthcare needs. If you’re experiencing chronic back pain, limited mobility, joint stiffness, or even headaches or migraines, chiropractic care can prove to be a safe, holistic, and effective form of treatment for your situation.
At Governor’s Park Chiropractic, we’re proud to be Denver’s leading full-service chiropractic office. With experienced Denver chiropractic, Lone Tree chiropractic, and Wheat Ridge chiropractic services, we offer a full range of healthcare services for our patients. This includes general chiropractic adjustments, acupuncture therapy, spinal decompression, massage therapy, custom orthotics, and more. With unmatched dedication and years of experience, the team at Governor’s Park Chiropractic can speed up your recovery time, provide relief from pain, and improve your overall health.
What is Chiropractic Care?
Chiropractic can be defined as a “healthcare profession that cares for a patient’s neuromusculoskeletal system—the bones, nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments.” Unlike surgery or medication, however, chiropractic care emphasizes the ability of your body to heal itself naturally.
As a form of hands-on, manual therapy, chiropractic involves a series of adjustments that work to realign your spine into its natural position. As your musculoskeletal structure becomes realigned, inflammation is reduced. When inflammation is reduced, oxygen and vital nutrients can be more easily transported throughout your body, which encourages healing and improved overall health.
But that’s not all. Many chiropractic offices will also offer additional healthcare services to provide comprehensive care for their patients. In addition to general chiropractic adjustments, some Colorado chiropractic offices may also offer massage therapy, physical therapy, acupuncture treatment, and custom orthotics. Your chiropractor may also be able to offer lifestyle tips and dietary guidelines to help you maintain optimal health even when you aren’t dropping by the office for chiropractic sessions.
How Long Does Chiropractic Care Take?
When beginning a chiropractic treatment program, it’s natural to have questions about how long this process will take. After all, you’re anxious to get back to the activities and lifestyle you love, so timing, of course, will be a top priority. However, there isn’t exactly an easy answer for this common question. Each patient responds in a unique way to their chiropractic program, and as such, the length of treatment will vary. Some of the factors that influence the length of chiropractic care include the patient’s age, medical history, the severity of their injury or illness, fitness level, and specific healthcare goals.
Following an initial assessment and diagnosis, your chiropractor should be able to provide a rough estimate for how long your treatment will take. Generally, however, chiropractic care will take roughly 2 weeks to a month for a patient to experience initial results. During these weeks, a patient will visit their chiropractor 2 to 3 times a week. For the entirety of an effective chiropractic care program, patients can expect to work with their chiropractor for 9 to 14 weeks to accomplish the three primary phases of chiropractic care, which include:
- Pain relief.
- Stabilization.
- Rehabilitation.
Once you begin seeing improvements, such as reduced pain and better mobility, your chiropractor may recommend home-based care that can help you continue your recovery from the comfort of your home. This home-based care may include tools such as elastic bands and incorporate dietary guidelines and lifestyle tips.
How Long is a Chiropractic Session?
Your visits to a chiropractor in Denver will be divided into individual sessions. As previously noted, most chiropractic programs will involve 2-3 individual chiropractic sessions per week. Of course, the number of sessions needed for each patient will depend on a variety of different factors. But how long does one of these sessions last?
A chiropractic appointment tends to be relatively short. In general, you can expect a chiropractic sessions to last somewhere between 15-45 minutes. However, you should expect that your first visit to a chiropractor will take longer. This is because your chiropractor will need to perform a physical assessment to determine the most effective chiropractic program for your specific healthcare needs. You may also need to fill out some initial paperwork, like medical history and insurance information, during your first chiropractic visit.
Benefits of Chiropractic Care
There are many reasons why you should consider chiropractic care. In addition to being a safe and effective form of care, one that helps you avoid the risks of prescription medication or surgery, chiropractic care benefits include:
- Safe treatment for chronic pain: chiropractic care is perfect for treating back pain, neck pain and stiffness, and general pain associated with joint problems. Why? Because it treats the actual source of your pain and doesn’t just mask the symptoms. Chiropractic adjustments work to realign your entire musculoskeletal system to relieve pain, tension, and discomfort. Chiropractic also offers a safe alternative to back surgery.
- Lower blood pressure: some studies suggest that receiving chiropractic care can effectively lower your blood pressure—just as effective as taking blood pressure medication.
- Improved mobility: whether caused by an injury or gradual wear and tear over the years, joint pain and stiffness can significantly hamper your mobility and daily activities. Chiropractic care can effectively restore joint mobility and functioning.
- Reduced inflammation: inflammation is your body’s response to infections and other external threats. However, some conditions, such as diabetes or heart disease, can cause chronic inflammation throughout the body that results in pain and limited mobility Effective chiropractic care can reduce inflammation throughout the body. As a result, many patients see pain relief and reduced muscle tension.
- Better athletic performance: if you’re an athlete, or just a weekend warrior, looking to take your performance the next level, check out receiving regular chiropractic care. Not only can a chiropractor treat a wide range of sports-related injuries, but they can even improve your overall performance and wellness.
Conclusion – How Long Does Chiropractic Care Take?
Chiropractic care is an effective form of treatment for a range of musculoskeletal injuries and ailments. However, chiropractic care is not an overnight fix. While chiropractic adjustments can help to relieve pain and improve mobility, it does take time for patients to experience these results. While many patients may experience reduced pain after their first session, you should expect a few weeks of sessions before seeing significant overall improvements. In total, expect to work with your chiropractor for 9 to 14 weeks for a successful treatment. From there, your chiropractor may recommend some at-home care exercises and stretches in addition to lifestyle and dietary tips to help you maintain optimal health and wellness.
If you’re experiencing chronic back pain, neck pain or stiffness, headaches or migraines, or nay other musculoskeletal injury, the experienced team at Governor’s Park Chiropractic can help. Our experienced chiropractic staff understands that each recovery is unique, which is why we work hard to develop personalized treatment programs for each of our patients. If you’re in need of chiropractic adjustments, massage therapy, or even custom orthotics, our evidence-based treatments can accelerate your recovery. No matter your healthcare needs, don’t forget that Governor’s Park is on your side.
Contact us today here at Governor’s Park Chiropractic and discover what our full-service chiropractic office can do for you.
Governor's Park Chiropractic is the Colorado chiropractor team dedicated to helping individuals get out of pain and achieve better health. Offering a range of services and treatment options to meet the specific needs of each patient.