Chiropractic treatment is a popular treatment modality that saves many people experiencing pain from going under the knife. From relieving chronic pain to improving joint mobility, there are numerous benefits of a chiropractic adjustment, such as correcting the root cause of the pain.
But one query many people considering chiropractic have is that how long does a chiropractic adjustment last? There is no specific answer to this, as several factors determine how long the effects of the treatment can last before you must make another chiropractic visit, which we will discuss here. We will also explain how you can increase the duration of your pain relief.
Chiropractic Care for Pain Relief
The most common problem for which people seek chiropractic treatment is debilitating spinal or neck pain. A pinched nerve (sciatic nerve) may be the underlying cause of lower back pain (LBP). This pinching is mostly attributed to intervertebral disc issues.
Low back pain is managed well with chiropractic intervention. The spinal adjustment corrects the misalignment and helps provide immediate relief. There is a high patient satisfaction rate for chiropractic treatment amongst chronic low back pain patients.
Research suggests that only 13 percent of the 722 low back pain patients reported recurrence after 12 months of treatment completion. That indicates that most patients can stay symptom-free for at least one year.
The effects of a chiropractic treatment plan generally last for weeks to months. A follow-up study reveals a 20 to 35% recurrence of back pain after 6 to 22 months post-treatment. Recurrence is observed, but disability is rare. That means that the majority of patients experienced no significant recurrence after 22 months of chiropractic treatment.
The study also concludes that patients have greater satisfaction with chiropractors than other healthcare providers, like orthopedic surgeons.
The gentle touch of a chiropractor can also help eliminate neck pain, and for a lasting period. Neck pain patients who have completed chiropractic care can expect to stay pain-free for several months to years. The recurrence of neck pain within a year after spinal manipulation is low.
We can safely conclude that the effects of chiropractic manipulation for pain alleviation can last a good one to two years.
Chiropractic Care for Joint Mobility
Chiropractic adjustments allow significant improvements in the range of motion of the joints. Arthritis and Ankylosing spondylitis patients frequently suffer from joint stiffness. Research shows that spinal manipulative therapy and physical therapy, when provided for a period of 12 weeks, lead to improvement of symptoms, which can last for a few weeks.
Many athletes and sports players seek regular chiropractic adjustment for optimal spinal alignment and muscle strength. In such cases, chiropractic therapy alleviates muscle soreness and joint pain and keeps the players going for a long time.
Factors Affecting the Duration of Chiropractic Treatment Effects
Chiropractic treatment can provide long-term results or short-term pain relief, which varies for each patient. It can even be a permanent solution in some cases.
Whether the impact of chiropractic sessions lasts a few hours or a few months depends on several factors, including:
Disease Severity
Severe chronic disorders take longer to improve, and their effects last for a shorter period. For example, osteoarthritis is a chronic condition, and a chiropractic patient with advanced disease usually has a shorter span of pain relief.
The extent of spinal misalignment in case of disc bulging or protrusion also plays a role in the longevity of the chiropractic treatment effects.
In advanced cases, multiple ongoing chiropractic sessions are required to achieve pain reduction, but it may still not provide a lasting solution.
Age and Fitness Status
Aged people with persistently poor posture have permanently modified musculoskeletal structures. Restoring the original position through chiropractic care is difficult to execute and even harder to maintain.
On the other hand, younger people have better muscle strength and healing potential. Therefore, treatment paired with posture correction can have long-lasting effects on them.
Cause of the Disorder
Auto-immune disorders, like rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis, cause persistent inflammation of the joints. In cases of uncontrolled disease, the benefits of chiropractic treatment are short-lived due to the recurrence of inflammation in the muscles and joints.
How Can I Prolong the Effects of Chiropractic Adjustment?
You can enhance the effects of chiropractic adjustments by making some simple and easy tweaks to your lifestyle, such as:
Staying Active
All patients who have recovered with chiropractic care must adopt some way of staying physically active. Walking is the simplest yet most effective way of keeping the joints and the muscles healthy.
Maintaining a Good Posture
The most crucial point chiropractors emphasize to avoid spinal misalignment is keeping a good posture. Poor posture is the cause of plenty of spinal issues.
Text neck syndrome is a common modern-day problem arising from excessive smartphone usage, which can strain the spine.
Chiropractors correct your cervical spine, but the effects can only last long if you maintain a healthy posture while working and using a smartphone.
Keep Yourself Hydrated
Dehydration is frequently associated with muscle cramps and other musculoskeletal disorders. Drinking ample amounts of water can ensure optimal muscle and bone health. That way, you can prolong the effects of a chiropractic adjustment.
Try Heat or Cold Application
Alternating hot and cold therapy has proven beneficial in chronic inflammatory disorders. Heat treatment is effective in releasing tension in the muscles and reducing muscle soreness. Cold therapy aids in flushing out inflammation. Both strategies lend a hand in extending the impact of spinal manipulation.
Add Exercise or Stretches to Your Routine
Chiropractors recommend regular stretches and exercise to keep the muscles and joints strong. Light stretches and yoga are helpful for improving neck strain and lower back pain. Light workouts with weights can also prevent the recurrence of pain and disability.
Duration of Chiropractic Appointment
For almost all patients, a chiropractic session is generally brief and precise. A chiropractor appointment lasts for an average of 15 to 45 minutes. However, you may require multiple sessions of spinal correction, depending on the severity of your disease.
So, you might need to visit the chiropractic clinic for a few days or weeks for continuous sessions.
Final Words
Chiropractic adjustment is a safe and viable alternative to pharmacological and surgical intervention for multiple health disorders such as disc slip, lower back pain, and inflammatory conditions.
Considering you went through the entire course of the treatment, the effects of chiropractic therapy generally last for weeks to several months.
However, certain factors determine the longevity of the effects, including the severity of the disease, underlying cause, and age and fitness status of the patients.
Studies reveal that a small percentage of patients experience recurrence in 2 years post-treatment, indicating that the effects can even last years.
You can maintain the treatment results by making a few lifestyle modifications, like staying hydrated, maintaining a good posture, and exercising and stretching.
For effective chiropractic treatment and overall health improvement, Logan Osland Chiropractic. The trained and highly experienced professionals at the facility offer chiropractic adjustments with the aim of providing lasting results.