In practice I have noted a pattern with patients that have been under chiropractic care – starting with an active care portion (usually 12-18 adjustments) and moving into maintenance care (on-going adjustments on a weekly or bimonthly schedule) – over a longer course of care.
Over that longer course of care, some patients tell me that everyday strains bother them less than they used to. Everyone responds differently, and your plan is built on your own findings.
It’s what I call “adaptive chiropractic”. By that I mean this: the aim of a longer course of care is to help the body adapt. Over months of adjustments, the cerebellum (the small part of the brain at the base of the skull that coordinates posture and movement) gets repeated input about where the joints are and how much muscle tension they need. Research on neuroplasticity in posture and gait control (Takakusaki, cited below) is part of why we think about care this way. (If you’re a neuro-nerd: the vestibulospinal, reticulospinal and spinocerebellar tracts are the pathways involved.*)
When pain is better managed, many patients say daily life feels easier: they sleep better, have more patience, and have more left over for their work and their families. That is what I am after with a longer course of care.
*“Functional Neuroanatomy for Posture and Gait Control” by Kaoru Takakusaki
James Barker, DC, MS
This is general information, not medical advice. Individual results vary. Book an exam for a diagnosis specific to you, and never stop a prescribed medication without speaking to the doctor who prescribed it.