Laying the foundation for total health
In some ways, one could say that chiropractic care is a bit like building a house - certain things have to happen in a particular order for everything to stand strong and work together collectively. When building a house, if you tried to build your walls before you had a solid foundation, your walls would be weak and eventually may even collapse. These concepts apply to your body as well, and chiropractic care addresses many common reasons why people experience pain and other health issues. If something is not right with your body's foundation, then that needs to be addressed before true health can be achieved. In the chiropractic care model, we view the spine and nervous system as this foundation. These support and control the core musculature which provides a dynamic stabilization system for all movement and bodily functions to occur. Chiropractic care works by reestablishing this foundation through three general phases of care . . .
Phase 1: Relief Care
If you are in pain when you come into our Harrington chiropractic office, our first objective is to help you reduce pain and start feeling better as soon as possible. We will start by getting a history of your current and past health conditions followed by a thorough physical examination. This will be used to construct a individualized treatment plan based on your condition and goals. You will be prescribed a series of treatments in our office or one of our satellite locations as well as stabilization exercises as dictated by your condition. The frequency of care will be based on the severity of your condition and your response to treatment. A general rule is that when you improve by fifty percent, we decrease the frequency of care by fifty percent.
Phase 2: Corrective/Restorative Care
During the corrective phase of chiropractic care, the focus shifts from relieving symptoms to improving function and stability. This is done by retraining the body to properly adapt to the stresses of daily activities. The responsibility also begins to shift from the doctor to the patient. You will be given corrective exercises which can be performed at home or in our wellness center. We will also offer nutritional counselling during this phase of care to support the healing process. This phase of care is paramount to a full recover and prevention of future injuries. It is also the one most often neglected by patients and doctors.The more involved you are in this phase of care, the better your chances are for a full recovery to optimal health.
Phase 3: Wellness Care
Once your body has healed and you are no longer experiencing symptoms, you will have the option to come if for periodic evaluations and treatment. We encourage our patients to take advantage of the wellness programs we offer, especially to those who have chronic issues. Pain typically indicates a failure of the body to adapt to the stresses of its surroundings. This begins long before we feel physical pain and can be prevented by regular exams and treatments when necessary. Chiropractic care also has the unique potential to optimize performance. Many top athletes utilize chiropractic is this way. So whether you are looking to avoid future complications or increase your athletic potential, wellness care can help.