Do you change the oil in your car ? If so, you are successful at prevention! Oil changes prevent the wear and tear from usage of your car from ruining the engine.
Now, here’s something you may or may not have thought about: Do you get regular Chiropractic visits? Chiropractic adjustments, or “tune ups”, for your nervous system are a LOT like an oil change for your engine. Adjustments not only keep you running smoothly, but they can prevent the wear and tear of daily life from causing irreversible damage. Some people don’t like the idea of “having to see a Chiropractor forever”. Well here’s the truth: You don’t HAVE to do anything. Just like you don’t HAVE to get your oil changed. But it sure is recommended…. because a good maintenance plan just makes good sense!
How often should you get adjusted? Well, the short answer is: it depends. Some people have to work through some initial issues, symptoms, or “pile up of gunk” – AKA piled on stresses from years of not getting adjusted. We call this the “Repair and Restoration” phase of care. This phase of care might require several visits per week for several weeks, just to undo some of the damage that has occurred. Once this phase is over, or if this phase is unnecessary, patients enter a wellness, or “maintenance” phase of care. Wellness care serves to prevent future dis-ease and damage, boost bodily and immune function, and helps to maintain and enhance current health status. Most people find that weekly or every-other-weekly adjustments suit their lifestyle and serve them well. But is the proper frequency the same for everyone? Not really. Just like one person might need an oil change every 3 months, after they have driven the recommended 5,000 miles; another person might drive 5,000 miles in just 3 weeks and need an oil change much faster. Lifestyle factors, workload, health decisions, and types and duration of physical activity all play a role in the body’s requirements for an adjustment – just like your driving activity plays a role in your car’s maintenance.
In a car, mileage and usage is typically the determining factor for when it’s time to change the oil. For the body, the speed of stress accumulation is the determining factor. Stress accumulation occurs from physical stress, emotional stress, environmental stress, and chemical stress. How do you know when your body’s odometer is telling you it’s time for an adjustment? One of the BEST ways is to get your spine analyzed using a computerized nerve scan. This tells us where you carry stress, and how much stress you carry. Chiropractors are also trained to analyze your spine for SUBLUXATION – those places in the spine where stresses build up when your body is having trouble adapting. You can analyze your life for stress: do you have a hard or physical job? A stressful co-worker? Trouble sleeping? Frequent arguments with loved ones? A diet that includes junk food? The tendency to slouch in your desk chair? Do you ingest chemicals or medications? These are some examples of wear and tear on your body’s engine. You can also listen to your body – once you feel aches, pains and discomfort, it’s already PAST due for that adjustment! Consult your Chiropractor for help on what is the best prevention or wellness frequency for you!
The BEST part about regular spinal maintenance? Just like maintaining your car, if you take good care of your body NOW, it will save you LOTS of time, money, and headache in the FUTURE!
Do you have questions about Chiropractic, or ready to schedule your computerized nerve scan? We are happy to discuss how Chiropractic might benefit you and your family! Just give us a call to schedule: 970-232-9258
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