Common Questions Asked When Visiting A Chiropractor

By Author: Cedar
Total Articles: 2
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Why did this happen?
Sometimes, the cause of an injury is obvious – being in a car accident, falling at work, slipping down stairs. However, most of the time, patients are not sure why they are injured or are having pain. Most patients that come in for chiropractic care do so because of cumulative or repetitive stress and tension that accumulate in a part of their body over a long period of time. Quite often, you are unaware of the increasing tension. It is typically only after a long period of time that the stress has built up enough to a point where you start to notice some discomfort and that is what triggers most people to seek help. Similar to a dental cavity, when it first starts you are unaware and it is only when you visit your dentist or when the cavity becomes severe enough that you realize there is a problem.

Is the adjustment going to hurt?
For most patients, so long as the adjustment is done correctly, it will not hurt. During your adjustment, some areas may be slightly tender at most. Rarely, depending on the type of injury and your physical condition, some adjustments may be a bit tender ...
... in which case your chiropractor can modify their treatment approach to ensure your adjustment is comfortable and tolerable.

Should I get a massage or see a physiotherapist at the same time?
Massage therapy and physiotherapy are both useful treatment approaches to a variety of injuries and problems. When first beginning chiropractic care, it is usually recommended to start with just chiropractic care as doing too much can sometimes create more discomfort than necessary, much like having too many cooks in the kitchen. Your body needs time to process and respond to the treatment. Doing too much can sometimes in fact hinder your progress. It also depends on what type of injury you have. Most of the time, your chiropractor will be able to help you resolve your discomfort and improve your health. In some cases, combining other treatment approaches with chiropractic care may also be your best option, at which point your chiropractor will suggest the other complementary treatment options to you when appropriate.

Will I feel better right away?
Patients visit a chiropractor with different expectations. Some believe they will be better right after their treatment, some understand that they have had their injury for quite awhile and so recovery will also take time. How soon you will start feeling better really depends on a number of factors – the type of injury you have, how long has the problem been there, what is your physical health like, what are your daily routines, what are your exercise habits, etc. Some people will notice an improvement as soon as they get off the table. For others, it can take several weeks and adjustments before they begin to notice even slight improvements. For others, they may even feel a bit worse before feeling better. So to answer the question, it really depends!

We provid one-on-one physiotherapy, chiropractic care and exercise / active rehab / clinical pilates in the North Burnaby Heights area