Your Wellness Report

The discomfort/stiffness/pain cycle

Discomfort, stiffness and pain can come and go. However, if the true cause of the symptom is a joint/vertebral misalignment or nerve, muscle, tendon, ligament adhesion/scar tissue, the problem will re-occur. If left untreated, the symptom will start to reoccur more often, and may last longer.

The initial cycle is acute (the first few days after the injury), but may become chronic (may last months or years post-injury). Depending on the person and the injury or condition, the duration of the symptom cycle can vary. With chronic conditions, the symptom cycle takes longer to go away. In fact, it may become acute again during ‘flare ups’, causing an increase in discomfort/pain and reduced mobility. And so, if you have a chronic condition, you may have periods of time when you are almost or completely symptom-free, and other periods when you are symptomatic. With chronic conditions, it is recommended you have periodic adjustments to help maintain the health of your spine, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves which, in turn, will improve your overall health.

Phases of care

Relief Care (Phase 1) – At this phase, your acute (recent) or chronic (long-standing) conditions have damaged your vertebrae, joints, nerves, discs, muscles, tendons, and/or ligaments. You may have experienced height loss, low energy, poor posture, stiffness, tightness, discomfort, tension, and physical or emotional pain. During this phase, you will receive treatment to relieve your symptoms. If there are imbalances in the muscles, tendons, ligaments and nerves, these will be treated. You will also be advised on changes that could improve your sitting, sleeping, sports, and other daily activities that may be causing issues.

Corrective Care (Phase 2) – At this phase, your spine, muscles, ligaments, tendons and nerves are beginning to respond to treatment. Your symptoms are improving: you will be experiencing less pain and stiffness. You may find you have increased flexibility and range of motion. You may also find your general physical and emotional well-being improves. During this phase, you will receive treatment to correct the cause of the problem.

Preventative Care (Phase 3) – At this phase, your treatments are holding for much longer periods of time, requiring fewer visits. Your vertebrae, nerves, discs, muscles, tendons, and ligaments are healing, increasing your overall function. You may find your general physical and emotional well-being is greatly improved, and your stress levels are diminished. During this phase, you will receive periodic treatments to prevent the reoccurrence of the problem and to increase overall wellness.

Approaches to care

When receiving chiropractic care, there are two approaches that can be taken:

Reactive: You receive treatment only for pain or specific injuries. This type of care allows you to come in when a problem occurs, you are symptomatic (having discomfort) and you need immediate care. This is the “if it is not broken, don’t fix it” approach to treatment. These treatments correspond to phases 1 and 2 of care.

Proactive: You will receive care when an injury occurs, as well as periodic check-ups as a method of preventative care. This is the “oil change” maintenance approach where, much like how your car gets tune-ups, you come in for periodic checks to ensure your overall health. With proactive care, you are participating in all phases of care.