If You See A Chiropractor Once, Do You Have To Go Forever?

Earlier this year, I ran into an old acquaintance at a local farmers market. In the middle of our conservation, she mentioned that she was concerned about a family member who was seeing her chiropractor several times every week to manage pain. 

"Once she stops chiropractic care, won't her pain just become worse than before?" she asked me. "Can visiting a chiropractor ever become...addictive?"

I explained that her family member would not necessarily "rebound" or become worse if she eventually terminated chiropractic care. Ending the care prematurely, however, without careful coordination with the doctor, could prevent maintenance of the relief she was experiencing or the spinal correction she had achieved—much like taking a retainer off one's teeth after wearing braces. 

Let's start with a condition typically associated with chiropractic care: lower back pain. If you're experiencing pain at any level, particularly in the lower lumbar region (as my acquaintance's family member did) chiropractic care can help tremendously. 

While many medications may block pain, chiropractic is all about safely and effectively getting to the cause. One randomized, double-blind, controlled clinical trial evaluated the levels of pain in patients with problems in their lower back before and after a lumbar adjustment. Every indicator of pain improved for the treatment group1.

However and wherever someone experiences pain, it can be very debilitating. Occasionally, a patient might imagine booking more chiropractic visits might help resolve the condition better or more quickly. In my experience, it is very rare that only one or two adjustments of a long-standing or new problem will bring about complete relief.

As with any area within health and wellness, balance is key. Eating too much healthy food can become unhealthy. Megadosing certain nutrients can be as problematic as not getting enough. Likewise, chiropractic care is not necessarily a "more is better" intervention, as any skilled chiropractor will tell his or her patients. 

Chiropractic provides people something hopeful and useful that they can turn to again and again. Especially for people frustrated with conventional health care, chiropractic care can be a natural and effective way to manage pain and support good function.

There is a big difference, however, between addiction and awareness. In this context, the term "addicted" suggests using something habitually and developing a dependency, even when it may no longer be needed. (As a practitioner, I don't wish for this as an outcome.)

While a single chiropractic visit can create great results, success ultimately depends on several factors, including the condition itself, a patient's overall health, how consistently he or she visits, and how willing someone is to incorporate complementary measures such as nutrition and exercise. 

A chiropractor can usually provide a realistic timeline during your first few visits. This establishes a framework to get excellent results. Nothing says you have to attend forever — but as you experience the benefits, you may want to return with some consistency.

Ultimately, everyone's health journey is unique. Whether you want to address a specific concern or maintain vibrant health, chiropractic care offers a promising approach, and even one visit can make a tremendous difference. Maintaining an ongoing partnership with a chiropractor, however, can support the condition you're currently experiencing and prevent or reduce the impact of health issues down the road.