Stages of Care
The typical patient will encounter 3 stages of care. The first stage
focuses on symptomatic relief such as reduction of pain and other
discomforts. The following stage addresses tissue healing and
function normalization. The final stage consists of periodic spinal
care to prevent the formation of new injuries, minimize future flare-ups
of old injuries, and prevent degenerative spinal
processes from occurring.
Relief Care
Relief
care is the first stage of care for most patients. The primary goal
during this
initial stage is to provide the individual with symptomatic relief.
Treatments focus on those techniques and therapies which most quickly
and effectively reduce pain and other discomforts. This
will allow the majority of individuals to continue their activities of
daily living. Patients are generally recommended to "take it easy" but
are encouraged to stay mobile and functional so long as
there is not a risk of further injury or tissue damage. Therapies that
reduce inflammation and muscle spasm are also used during this stage
when present.
Corrective Care
The
second stage of care consists of correcting the problems which caused
and contributed to
the condition and healing and rehabilitating the injured tissues.
Unless these events take place, a favorable outcome is unlikely and
future recurrences of the problem are likely. It is extremely
important that the patient comply with and follow the instructions
given by the doctor during this stage of care. Tissues and structures
that are not fully healed and rehabilitated are prone to
future problems. Sticking to appointments, complying with home
exercises and instructions and following all other recommendations will
help insure this occurs. Patients should also be aware that
once pain and discomfort have subsided, tissue healing and functional
correction is many times still incomplete and will often require
additional treatments.
Wellness Care
Once
the spinal tissues are healed and spinal biomechanics have normalized
the patient will
be recommended to continue with periodic spinal checkups. For some
this might mean once per year, for others this may mean once per month
or more. Chiropractic spinal checkups provide similar
benefits to the spine that dental checkups provide to the teeth.
Namely, catching minor problems and disturbances before they have the
opportunity to cause pain, discomfort and irreversible tissue
changes. Just like with cavities and heart attacks, irreversible
tissue damage has generally occurred before the symptoms of spinal pain
and discomfort become apparent.
