Chiropractic adjustments offer many short and long-term health benefits. After an adjustment, patients can often expect immediate relief from back pain caused by injury or spinal misalignment. These adjustments can help alleviate discomfort and other symptoms associated with the following conditions:
Spinal pain
Back pain
Car accident injuries
Chronic pain
Herniated discs
Migraine headaches
Neck pain
Sciatica
Sports injuries
Carpal tunnel
Fibromyalgia
Hip imbalance
Muscle aches and pains
Although there are many short-term benefits of chiropractic adjustments, a patient's chiropractic treatment plan typically does not end after the first adjustment. Over time, regular chiropractic adjustments work to gradually correct spinal alignment, promoting nervous system and musculoskeletal health. In order to reap the full benefits of spinal alignment, patients should adhere to the following self-care recommendations to achieve long-lasting results from chiropractic adjustments:
Drink plenty of water. Maintaining appropriate water intake after an adjustment is very important to your overall treatment plan. Proper hydration helps the muscle tissues and discs near your spine adjust to the new alignment, holding your spine in the correct position. Water can also help with any muscle soreness that may follow an adjustment.
Maintain proper posture. This will be much easier to do once your spine is realigned; however, it is still important to be mindful of your posture after an adjustment. Maintaining correct spinal positioning when sitting, sleeping, and standing will help retrain your body to hold this proper posture.
Exercise appropriately. Vigorous exercise immediately following an adjustment is typically not recommended. After a recent spinal manipulation, give your body some time to adjust to the new positioning. Straining the muscles that support your spinal area will likely cause unnecessary discomfort after an adjustment. If you do exercise, choose light cardio and/or stretching. Normal exercise routines can be resumed within a few days post-adjustment.
Follow up with your chiropractor. For most patients, a series of regular adjustments is necessary to achieve proper spinal alignment and fix other problems associated with previous misalignment. Follow up with your chiropractor after each adjustment to determine the next steps in your comprehensive chiropractic treatment plan.
To learn more about chiropractic care, click here.
Sources:
Thieroff, S. (2017, Feb. 21). What to do after a chiropractic adjustment. Choice Chiropractic and Wellness Center. Retrieved from http://www.choicechiropractic.net/what-to-do-after-a-chiropractic-adjustment/
Whittington, T. (2016, Mar. 1). What are the best things to do after your chiropractic adjustment. Whittington Chiropractic. Retrieved from https://www.whittingtonchiropractic.com/7-things/