man grabbing his back in pain

How Often Should You Visit A Chiropractor?

Chiropractors in Fort Lauderdale are health care professionals that diagnose and treat the neuromusculoskeletal system. This includes the bones, nerves, muscles, tendons, and ligaments throughout your body. If you experience neck and back pain, you may be wondering how frequently you should see a chiropractor. 

Should you see them as often as you do your dentist and general practitioner? 

These healthcare professionals can offer a variety of care options. How often you should visit one largely depends on the type of injury you have and the amount of pain you are experiencing.

Keep reading to learn more!

Types Of Care

During your first visit, you should talk to the specialist about what you want to achieve with treatment. Do you need short-term care for a recent injury? Or perhaps you have had back pain for several years and currently need long-term treatment. No matter what type of injury or pain you have, in general, your treatment will fall under three basic categories:

  • Urgent
  • Rehabilitative
  • Preventative

Urgent Treatment

As with any medical branch, if you are seeking urgent care, this means that you demand immediate treatment. A chiropractor will treat urgent pain in the same way other medical professionals treat it. They will do what they can to provide fast relief to your current aches and pains. If your job or lifestyle has you scheduling frequent urgent care appointments, then it is advisable to schedule a chiropractic appointment at least once a week in between your urgent care visits. Jobs that have you sitting at a desk for several hours a day, or a lifestyle that is overactive due to frequent exercise can put a lot of pressure on your muscles and joints. As a result, the adjustments that you received during your urgent care visit may not be enough. You will benefit most from regular chiropractic care to relieve chronic pain.

When you visit Spine and Joint Center, your specialist will make an assessment during your first visit and provide instructions on how often you should come in.  

Rehabilitative Treatment

For people who suffer from minor pain from an old injury that gets triggered from time to time, or suffer from a serious condition, like arthritis, you should consider continuous rehabilitative care. Regular visits will help manage your pain during flareups and can reduce reoccurring pain. You and the specialist can come up with a plan for the level of care you need. For some, this may be weekly visits while others may need to come in bi-weekly. It will mostly depend on your lifestyle.

People who have recently injured themselves, such as a broken leg, can also benefit from rehab treatment with our physical therapists in Fort Lauderdale. Unless specified by your chiropractor, it is not recommended to perform rehabilitative care on your own, as you may cause further injury. The advanced tools and training of a chiropractic specialist will ensure that your recovery goes according to plan.

Preventative Treatment

Many people who have visited a specialist for urgent or rehabilitative treatment may also consider preventative treatment. After you have resolved a serious injury, preventative care will help keep you from suffering serious pain in the future. This can reduce the number of times you contact a chiropractor for urgent treatment, as you are already ensuring that your body alignment is in good shape. Many specialists recommend that you come in for an appointment before you experience pain, much like a physical with your general practitioner. These are often called general adjustments. Our goal is to provide patients with benefits that can last a lifetime, not a quick fix that lasts a few months until your next flare-up.

Bottom Line

As you can see, how often you see a chiropractor depends on your situation. Even if you are not experiencing neck and back pain, visiting a specialist can help diagnose future problems, such as osteoporosis, the silent disease. Even if you do not think your job or lifestyle qualifies you for such treatment, any form of stress can build up pressure and result in serious injuries. Preventative treatment can fix this before it gets out of hand. Many of the treatments that we offer at Spine and Joint Center in Fort Lauderdale can relax muscles that are experiencing stiffness. We can reduce the stress that can lead to pressure build-up, and facilitate your nervous system.

Visit Spine and Joint Center

Do not wait for a serious injury or a long-term condition to visit our office. For chiropractors in Fort Lauderdale you can trust, contact the team at the Spine and Joint Center. Call (954) 507-9316 to schedule an appointment.