08/30/2009
I’ve always said… The fewer chiropractic adjustments you need, the better off you are.
That means you should adopt habits that help the adjustment stay put. “Holding” is the name of the game.
It’s important for all patients to know that the recovery process is a two-way street. Efforts to help you get well are shared, but maintenance of health is ultimately your responsibility. We can do our part as chiropractors to help align the spine and restore balance to your nervous system, but it’s up to you to facilitate this process by making healthy lifestyle choices and abandoning bad habits.
Not many people know this, but 60% of the cars Porsche has ever made are still on the road. We can’t give Porsche all the credit for this though… Porsche car owners contribute to this statistic as well. Together, expert engineering and responsible ownership have created this “built to last” reputation.
Last week I welcomed two more patients into the “One Year Adjustment Club” in my St Louis chiropractic office. I don’t believe that these patients are different than anyone else… I think we all have the capacity to hold an adjustment this well. Like Porsche owners and their cars, these patients simply practice “responsible ownership” of their bodies.
Here are nine ingredients that I consider to be essential in the recipe for helping your chiropractic adjustments last longer:
- Precision x-ray analysis (My job)
- Clinical assessment tools that determine when an adjustment is/isn’t necessary (My job)
- Accurate and effective spinal adjusting method (My job)
- Staying properly hydrated (Your job)
- Avoiding mechanical stresses and strain (Your job)
- Getting appropriate amounts of rest (Your job)
- Minimizing consumption of unhealthy foods (Your job)
- Performing your recommended at-home exercises (Your job)
- Exercising each and every day (Your job)
As you can see, YOU play a very important role in the process. You can’t expect outstanding results if you’re a just passive spectator. 2/3 of the process is up to you!
Your health is what you make of it.
Just curious what to do when you can’t hold an adjustment for longer than 3 days?
I will answer your question with a few questions of my own. Can you tell me if you’re seeing an upper cervical chiropractor or a conventional full-spine doctor? The possibility exists that you need a more specific adjustment, or that the adjustment you’re receiving is not complete. What criteria is your chiropractor using to determine when an adjustment is necessary? Factors that can impair a patient’s holding ability include occupational hazards, stomach sleeping, and chronic stress, among others.