Myths
Today I wish to address a myth about chiropractic. I’m sure some of you reading this will have heard this statement: “Once you start going to a chiropractor you have to keep going and going…”
Let’s take a good look at this. Whereas it is true that to bring about structural change in an injured or ailing spine takes time, it is by no means an infinite process. How long does it take the Orthodontist to change your bite? One tightening of the braces? Two? A month’s treatment? No. For many it takes years of continuous pressure from the braces to bring about the changes.
Chiropractic care is no different in that the laws of physics that apply to moving teeth also apply to moving spinal bones. The process takes as long as it takes. For some that might be a week, for others a month or three, and still others a year. On top of that, we also have to look at what happens when we have a spine that cannot, for whatever reason, be totally corrected. As long as there is any structural deviation from normal, there will be the tendency for that condition to decay into something painful.
Is that so unusual medically? No. Consider high blood pressure. How long are you going to be taking your medication for that condition, a week, six months, a year? As long as the condition exists, you will need some treatment. Similarly as long as structural asymmetry exists, you will need some treatment to keep it from getting worse.
Ultimately, though, the choice is always yours. So, how long do you need to keep coming to a chiropractor? As long as you wish for as long as it takes. It is always up to you.