Laying the foundation for total health
In some ways, one could say that chiropractic care is a bit like building a house - certain things have to happen in a particular order in order for everything to stand strong and work together correctly. When building a house, if you tried to build your walls before you had a solid foundation, your walls would be weak and eventually may even collapse. If you tried to build your roof before the walls were ready, you would run into the same problem. These concepts apply to your body as well, and chiropractic care addresses many common reasons why people experience pain and other health issues. If something is not right with your body's foundation, than that needs to be addressed before true health can be achieved. With chiropractic care, your body has to go through a particular plan of care in order to repair itself correctly and fully. There are three general phases of chiropractic care . . .
Phase 1: Relief Care
If you are in pain when you come into our Glasnevin chiropractic office, our first objective is to help you reduce pain and start feeling better as soon as possible. Depending on the severity of the underlying condition which is causing your pain, it is typical for Chiropractic patients to need follow-up adjustments 3 times per week for 1-3 weeks; however, Dr Maureen says she can't remember the last time a patient needed more than 1 week with 3 visits - if the patient is following the home care she so carefully details on your first visit. Any further care you may need will be outlined and explained to you on your 1st, New Patient (NP,) visit.
Phase 2: Corrective Care
During the corrective phase of chiropractic care, muscles and other tissues are allowed to heal more completely, which helps prevent further injury or pain. The goal of corrective or restorative chiropractic care is to help bring your body back to functioning at it's optimal ability. It is typical to need chiropractic care/follow-up adjustments; on an 8th visit, she will preform a Progress Exam (PE - retesting all tests that were problematic on the NP visit,) depending on your overall health and the severity of your problem. Dr Maureen will Always recommend Corrective Care, but she will not push anything on you! She knows it's your health, your choice and is always happy to help whatever your choice is.
Phase 3: Wellness Care
Once your body has achieved 85% improvement (to be tested & measured at the PE,) and you are no longer symptoms, it is highly recommended to come in for periodic chiropractic adjustments to avoid further problems in the future. Usually, this phase of chiropractic care only requires a quick visit to the chiropractor, typically once every 5 weeks; again, depending on your lifestyle and goals.