A chiropractic treatment is a gradual process of aligning the spine into place and helping to improve the overall structure, range of motion and sensation of the joints. Because of this, it is not a goal that can be achieved overnight.
Most people will receive some benefits from a single chiropractic session, from pain relief to a lack of stiffness and soreness, but the true, long-term benefits come from multiple sessions.
This is something that will be discussed at your original consultation, once your needs, current baseline of pain and complexities such as injuries or conditions that may require additional support and care.
Ultimately, to keep the body feeling better for longer, a consistent chiropractic treatment plan is needed to ensure long-term management of your spine. This plan is catered to your needs and tends to start with an intensive phase, a corrective phase and a preventative phase.
This leads to the question of exactly how many sessions are needed, and whilst every treatment plan is different, the most common average is 12 sessions every six weeks, which averages to two sessions a week.
There are some caveats to note about this average, especially for people who are uncertain about their ability to commit to such frequent treatments.
The first is that your treatment plan will vary depending on how the body responds to treatment, with the frequency increasing or decreasing in reaction to this.
The second, and most critical component is that the average does not take into account that for the vast majority of people, these treatments are front-loaded.
When starting treatment, people tend to have three sessions a week to kickstart and guide the treatment, with the number of treatments decreasing or being substituted with stretches and exercises that help preserve that progress in pain relief and range of motion.
All of these factors will be discussed with you by your chiropractor at every stage of treatment.
