How Long to Complete a Chiropractic Adjustment

One of the big questions people have about chiropractic care is how long a treatment will last. It’s impossible to say how long anyone’s appointment or care plan will last with absolute certainty. However, knowing the timeframe for an adjustment session is helpful because various factors can affect a treatment plan. To illustrate, let’s break down what the typical period is for a chiropractic adjustment. 

What to Expect During a Chiropractic Adjustment Session

Your chiropractor will examine your spine and body for any sign of misalignment during the initial appointment. This will likely include using a tool called the inclinometer, which measures the slope of a vertebra. The original intent of the inclinometer was to measure the angle of a patient’s head at night; however, it can also be used to identify misalignments in the spine. 

Once the chiropractor has identified a misalignment in the spine, they will adjust the misaligned area using various techniques. Once the spine is adjusted, your chiropractor will perform a series of tests to assess whether or not the alignment is satisfactory. These tests may include evaluating a range of motion in the neck and spine and assessing limb strength and reflexes.

If the alignment is not satisfactory, your chiropractor may adjust the neck or spine again. There is no set number of alignments that a patient has to receive. Adjusting takes place until the alignment is satisfactory or until other factors must be considered.

How Long Does an Adjustment Last?

Most people benefit from adjustments over a few weeks or months. However, many factors can affect the number of appointments needed to reach a satisfactory alignment: 

• Age
• Gender
• Activity level
• Life stress levels
• Nutrition
• Body type

Most chiropractors will adjust a patient’s neck and spine to a satisfactory alignment; however, if you have a chronic condition, like an irritated nerve or a disc herniation, you may need to adjust your spine to a specific range of motion is required to alleviate symptoms.

How Long Does It Take Before Relief Can Be Felt?

It takes time for your body to adjust to a new alignment. If you are experiencing pain or discomfort, it may take a few days to see a difference after an adjustment. It may take a month or more to notice an overall improvement in your well-being. Your body will also take time to adjust to new levels of mobility; however, you should feel at least some relief from your symptoms and an overall improvement in your quality of life during care. 

It can sometimes feel like the adjustment you receive has not been enough to alleviate your discomfort. When an adjustment has been too light, it may lead to your body becoming less sensitive to the procedure.

Conclusion

How long a treatment will last depends on many factors. It is possible to reach a satisfactory result quickly; however, it is uncommon for pain to be cured in one or even two adjustments. You may need to receive adjustments for some time before you see a noticeable improvement in your symptoms and overall quality of life. 

Hawkeye Chiropractic is a full service chiropractic center led by Dr. Drew Voelsch, a leading Chiropractor in the local area. We help heal patients and relieve pain by focusing on the source of the pain, rather than simply reducing symptoms. This allows the body to heal itself using its own natural abilities. For ten years, we have helped our community heal from a wide variety of conditions, including migraine headaches. If you’re looking for chiropractor treatments in Arlington, look no further! Call us at (847)472-1224 today.

Watch: A First Chiropractic Adjustment, Start to Finish

Wondering what else to expect? See your first visit, step by step or questions to ask at your first appointment — then book yours.