As chiropractors, we often see patients with similar diagnoses responding differently to the same treatments.  This is true for both traditional chiropractic and laser therapy.  Some patients feel relief almost right away (though full healing has not yet occurred); others come back for ten visits, or more, before they feel the “breakthrough” of significant improvement.  The most common experience lies somewhere in the middle.

The reason for the differences is that every patient is a unique individual.  Different living and working conditions, different diets, different overall health, and different genetics can all play a role in a person’s rate of healing.  Some of these factors are hard to control—for example, there is not much people can do about the genes they have inherited.

Here are six things you can do to support your body during the healing process.

Firstly, follow your chiropractor’s directions.  This one might seem obvious.  If you’re asked to do something at home to help with your treatment – for example, icing an area, or stretching exercises—it’s important to follow the recommendations as closely as possible.

Secondly, keep to the recommended treatment schedule.  Laser therapy patients regularly have appointments two or three times a week in the early stages of their healing.  Chiropractic patients often have the same frequency to begin.  It is harder for your body to heal when it doesn’t receive treatment frequently enough.

Thirdly, avoid activities that increase your symptoms.  For example, if it’s painful to walk, minimize walking as much as possible.   Is heavy lifting aggravating a shoulder injury?  Request light duties at work.  Choose jogging over weightlifting for exercise.  Rest the shoulder until it has fully recovered.

Fourthly, value the time you need to rest and recover.  Devoting extra time to resting, relaxing and sleeping is not “laziness”—it is giving your body the rest it needs to heal.

Fifthly, support your body by eating a nutritious diet.  Proper nutrition gives the body the “building blocks” of vitamins and minerals that it needs to maintain and repair itself.

Finally, remember that chiropractic care is cumulative.  Many injuries are the result of stresses that accumulate over time; time is also required to heal them.  The combination of time, rest and treatment helps the body to heal.

People who are easily frustrated may be tempted to give up and resign themselves to living in pain.  Patience is the key – providing the body with time to heal, treatment to accelerate proper healing, and sufficient rest.

We want to help you feel better.  Contact Sheppard Chiropractic Centre at (506) 635-8182 or (506) 847-7172 today.