The Power of Three
The world has focused on the number three for years in many different ways. It was used in the well-known children’s stories Goldilocks and the Three Bears, and not to forget The Three Little Pigs.
Or have you ever heard of the saying ‘good things come in threes’? Or its negative, not so original counterpart: ‘bad things happen in threes’? What about the famous: ‘third time’s the charm’? Well our chiropractors understand that the number three is essential in chiropractic care as much as it is in real life.
Chiropractors focus on the number three as well, at least when we first meet somebody who is in need of our care. So it is not too uncommon to be asked “why do I need to come in three times a week?” This may appear somewhat confusing to those who have never seen a chiropractor before or concerning to those hoping for that miracle one-time fix.
Our bodies have this natural ability to heal themselves, but sometimes they need a step in the right direction. When we experience pain, that is usually a signal that something needs to be done about it. Depending on the type of pain, the structures involved and how long someone has had pain, it could take some time to feel better.We as humans are designed to move. Our initial goal as chiropractors is to get you moving and feeling better. To do that, we recommend treatments at three times per week. I tend to call this the hard and fast approach: treat often in a short amount of time.
Treatments
Treatments are designed get the joints in your back or neck moving, usually by performing an adjustment. When we move a joint (perform an adjustment), we are trying to take pressure off the nerves involved. Our nerves relay information to our brain. If there is pressure placed on them at the level of the joint, we will get a signal to our brain and it is usually in the form of pain.
To continue, the treatments we perform are also making changes to surrounding structures: ligaments and musculature. Before coming in for treatment, those surrounding structures have been accustomed to holding the joint in such a way that pain is felt. One treatment usually won’t create a lasting change. It is common to have a sense of relief, but this is temporary because your body has been used to feeling one way for however long you have been sore. In most cases, the body will revert back by a bit. It is with continued care (that hard and fast approach) that we get all those structures to adapt to treatments and start to hold the adjustments in place.
Muscle Memory
When we move a joint it is like exercise. The more we do it, the easier it gets. Its called muscle memory. Think of it as if you’re training for a 5km run or swim or want to bulk up those muscles. The more you do it, your body will learn to run or swim better and develop those bigger muscles. These are ways the body adapts to changes. Performing an adjustment is just another way to provide the body with a chance to adapt positive change. We take pressure off the nerves, we get the joints moving and that ultimately gets YOU moving.
From a chiropractic perspective, this is a case where the saying: ‘third time’s the charm’ fits. That third visit within your first week of care really helps pave the way for the adjustments to hold and get you moving. Since every patient different, factors such as how you respond to treatments, your lifestyle, career and activities play key roles in how your treatment plan is designed. In most cases, pain is the last to show and the first to go. Essentially, this means that even though your pain may have subsided, the underlying issue is still there. With that in mind, we recommend continued care at three times a week, up to 3 or 4 weeks, in order to fully correct the problem.
You Will Adapt
Over time, your body will adapt to positive change and you will need to come in less often. At this point of care, I tend to recommend spinal checkups every 4 to 6 weeks. This is because we are designed to move! Regular adjustments should be considered part of a healthy lifestyle, but it is always your choice as a patient. Just remember that chiropractors are here for you to help you live and move at your best so you can enjoy doing what you love to do without pain.
Visit us at the Avenida Wellness for more information on how we can help you shape and sculpt your body so you are always in a state of comfort and health.
