What To Expect After Your First Chiropractic Adjustment

If you are considering visiting a chiropractor for treatment, you might be wondering what to expect after your first chiropractic adjustment. Chiropractors use multiple techniques to adjust the spine and joints, so it is reasonable to want to understand more about the process before you get started. 

In this guide, the leading pain and accident chiropractic provider in Woodstock and northern Georgia will help you understand more about chiropractic care. Ribley Family Chiropractic wants you to feel comfortable about feeling better. 

Understanding Chiropractic Adjustments

A chiropractic adjustment is a technique used by chiropractors to improve spine and joint function. The purpose of an adjustment is to restore normal alignment and the best possible range of motion. A chiropractor applies gentle, controlled force during an adjustment to the affected area to loosen joints, relieve and reduce inflammation, and relieve pain. 

Types of Chiropractic Adjustments

A chiropractor may use several types of adjustment methods, depending on a patient’s individual needs and conditions. These types include:

• Manual manipulation. This is a direct, hands-on approach to adjusting the spine and joints. Manual manipulation is typically gentle and relatively painless.
• Activator method. Small medical devices deliver gentle impulses to the spine and joints, normally on bones in the neck and upper back. 
• Hot/cold therapy. A chiropractor may apply heat or cold packs to affected areas to reduce pain and inflammation. 
• Electrical stimulation. Medical devices using low-voltage electrical stimulation can treat the muscles and nerves around the spine to bring a patient relief. 

What To Expect During Your First Visit

When you begin treatment, your chiropractor will ask about your medical history, current pain and symptoms, and recent injuries from trauma such as car accidents, sports, or falls. After a physical examination and necessary imaging of your spine and joints, your chiropractor will explain a plan for treatment in understandable terms to help you choose from recommended treatment options. 

Your first adjustment will include the application of carefully controlled force to specific parts of your spine to realign joints and reduce interference with normal nerve function. 

Common Reactions to a First Adjustment

Many patients feel almost instant pain relief after their adjustments. For those who have suffered from chronic misalignment, the initial improvement is often very noticeable and pleasant. 

Some patients report immediate surges in energy as nerves are returned to normal function, sometimes for the first time in years. Others report enjoying rest and sleep after an adjustment as they sense their body working to heal inflammation.

Of course, every response can be different, but people generally feel more relaxed and receptive to proper alignment after their first adjustment

There are some cases where patients feel soreness or off-balance after a first alignment. This is commonly a response to proper alignment after years of poor posture and spine positioning caused by inflammation and pain. This type of discomfort is usually temporary and managed with mild analgesics if needed. 

In other cases, patients report they don’t feel much of change at all after their first adjustment. This is also completely normal, and doesn’t mean that the treatment didn’t work or that no changes took place. After restoring nerve function and aligning the joints, it sometimes takes a few days for a noticeable effect to occur. 

Most people are not completely healed after a single adjustment, and your chiropractor will guide your treatment based on your response and his explanation to you of the findings about your body’s response to treatment. Your chiropractor wants you to understand what to expect after your first chiropractic adjustment and each treatment that follows.

Communication With Your Chiropractor

The feedback you can provide your chiropractor about your responses to adjustments is critical to successful treatment. Always discuss concerns or discomfort with your chiropractor, even if the symptoms seem minor. 

Chiropractic care involves a progressive treatment process and is not a “one-time fix” for long-standing misalignment issues or those caused by accidents or other trauma. After your first adjustment, your chiropractor will discuss recommendations for how frequent future visits will best fit your individual needs. 

Trust Ribley Family Chiropractic To Help You Self-Heal and Feel Good Again

In addition to knowing what to expect after your first chiropractic adjustment, the medical professionals at Ribley Family Chiropractic want you to feel comfortable about the entire process of chiropractic care. Our chiropractors have been helping Woodstock and the local community for more than 25 years to return to natural health and well-being. 

Contact Ribley Family Chiropractic today to learn more about the importance of chiropractic care and to schedule an appointment with our caring professionals. Learn more now.