The three types of Chiropractic care.
Relief Care
The goal of relief care is to reduce or remove symptoms in the short term. Many people initially consult chiropractors when they are in pain, and rightfully so, as chiropractic care has consistently been shown to be one of the best forms of care for low back pain and a number of other conditions.
Some people respond very quickly to chiropractic care and notice almost immediate results, for others the relief phase may take some time. Imagine your car had an oil leak – relief care would be the same as replacing the oil. It is a temporary fix, and sure it is going to help, but if that is all you do, it is just a matter of time before it starts leaking again.
Corrective Care
The goal of corrective care is much more than just removing symptoms, but rather to correct the cause of the symptoms. In many cases, aches and pains are caused because of changes in the shape and alignment of your spine which places more pressure and tension on your spine, joints, muscles and nerves.
In many cases, by following a schedule of adjustments, traction exercises and specific mirror image stretches you will be able to correct the misalignments in your spine and not only improve your posture, but improve your range of motion, flexibility and general well being. Correcting the cause of your symptoms helps to reduce the chance of relapses. Your Durban Chiropractor has a special interest in posture and correcting the cause of your problems.
Corrective care would be the equivalent of fixing the leak so that you do not have to keep replacing the oil.
Wellness Care
The goal of wellness care is to maintain optimal spinal structure and function of the spine and prevent any further damage to the spine. Some patients will continue to receive adjustments long after they are out of pain, because they understand that this will help to keep their spine aligned and moving properly.
This can be compared to sending your car in for a regular service.
Each phase of care is important and has its place, and the choice is always up to you. The next time you are in pain ask yourself, do the painkillers you take correct the problem or just relieve the symptoms?