<img class="aligncenter  wp-image-3357" src="https://northshorechiro.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/Chiropractic-Clinic-02.jpg" alt="" width="544" height="363">

If you ask a person who 'never tried' chiropractic on what they think of it, they will probably say it is for 'those who are in pain'. While this is true at some point— this is not always the case. Providing pain relief is not the only thing that we can do!

You see, chiropractic care is like a journey that has 5 different phases. For most people, it starts with getting the <b><i>'temporary' pain relie</i></b><em><b>f</b></em> and then when the pain is eliminated it proceeds to <b><i>spinal correction</i></b>. Usually, once a patient gets past correction it’s already big progress, but the real ultimate goal here is to reach phase 5 or getting <b><i>wellness care</i></b>. This phase means achieving optimal health in all areas of your life, where it goes beyond physical health.

Take a look below and learn more about the 5 phases of chiropractic. Which phase do you think you are in now and what phase do you think is right for you?
<h5><b>#1 Getting Temporary Pain Relief</b></h5>
We know it— the pain in your neck, shoulder, and back are what drove you to consult us in the first place! Well, we are not that surprised anymore, as this the most common scenario that we usually get from our first-time patients.

In this phase, we will do our best to identify the root causes of your symptoms, pain, soreness, inflammation, etc. This could be caused by many things— an impinged nerve, a previous injury, or maybe a prolonged posture problem. Once we have determined the exact cause, we will come up with a correction plan that best suits your needs. This can be for the short term or may take a while depending on the type and severity of the injury.
<h5><b>#2 Correction</b></h5>
Some people choose to stop their appointments after they get temporary relief, but we don't recommend that as pain and other symptoms can show back up quickly if the body hasn’t healed yet and the spine is not yet fully corrected.

For the body to fully heal, one must realise that there is a need for correcting misalignments in the spine and any imbalances that caused your injury in the first place. This oftentimes takes time, especially when retraining your spinal muscles, ligaments, and overall posture.

For example, patients who have disc issues need spinal decompression and manual adjustments a few times a week to start seeing results as soon as possible. Herniated discs (which are even worse), require immediate attention and correction which can last up to 4-6 weeks to reinforce the healing process.

So if your correction requires multiple visits every week along with different types of techniques, the best way to reap the benefits is to be committed and consistent in following this plan.
<h5><b>#3 Supportive Care</b></h5>
Once the pain is gone and the correction phase is completed, many patients still choose to continue with their regular adjustments as a means of supporting their health condition (some examples are arthritis, herniated disc, etc). In this way, not only do they preserve their progress through chiropractic care but it also helps them improve their health over the long term. This phase also goes hand in hand with the next phase which is <i>Maintenance Care</i>.
<h5><b>#4 Maintenance Care</b></h5>
This phase indicates that a patient can return to normal activities but may experience flare-ups and inflammation from time to time due to exposure to everyday stressors. During this time, we will keep a close eye on those problematic areas and address them as early as possible. By doing this, it can help the patient avoid old health issues from returning and prevent future health problems from occurring.

Also, the frequency of adjustments can be reduced but once again that depends on the patient's needs, lifestyle, level of activity, and overall health goals.
<h5><b>#5 Wellness Care</b></h5>
This would be the ultimate goal when you think about optimal health and chiropractic.

At this point, the patient already has mastered good posture and has maintained a good spinal alignment. Even if they are not in pain or experiencing any symptoms, they still come in for a regular 'tune-up'. The purpose of this is to just keep their spine and nervous systems healthy so that they can perform at their maximum potential and maintain their body's self-healing ability.

If you look at some of the big athletes, you'll be able to understand how this works. They always include chiropractic care in their routine simply because it keeps the body and mind in tip-top shape and working in harmony. You can also apply this to your everyday life. You'll be able to do the things you love, you have enough energy levels throughout the day, you rarely get sick, have at least an average range of motion, and just feel great overall! Living your life to the fullest— that's the best reward you can get from chiropractic.

<img class="aligncenter  wp-image-3358" src="https://northshorechiro.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/NSC-FB-Insta-046-1.png" alt="North Shore Chiro blog - 5 phases of chiropractic care info" width="411" height="411">
<h5><b>Conclusion</b></h5>
So reading through all this information, are you able to determine which phase are you currently in or maybe which phase you want to be in? If you haven't tried chiropractic care yet but are already considering it, give a call at ph 09 4424310 or email us at <a href="info@northshorechiro.co.nz">info@northshorechiro.co.nz</a> so we can see if we can help with your health goals!