“How often will I need to come in?”
I occasionally get this question from new patients that are concerned if they see a chiropractor, they will be pressured to keep coming in again and again.
So how do I handle the question? I explain to them my process.
I examine them thoroughly so I can diagnose them accurately, but I do not make any long-term recommendations at the initial visit because it would only be an educated guess. Everyone has unique factors to consider in the healing process, so it’s difficult to say with certainty exactly what they’ll need. However, I do share with them the experience I have in treating their condition and how long it tends to take on average. I will then make short term recommendations to help the patient and usually most people feel dramatically better (depending on severity of condition) within 1-6 visits.
Once someone is out of pain, I always suggest that they receive ongoing chiropractic checkups at a frequency of their choosing. This helps to prevent previous problems from returning and new ones from forming – very similar to how dental checkups work.
If someone decides that these checkups aren’t for them that is fine too. That is always up to the patient. All I ask is that they know they will be welcomed back at any time should they choose to return. In fact, I help people regularly that I haven’t seen for a visit in years.
In my office there is never any pressure to adhere to any specific program. Ultimately, I only want to help my patients – as much and for as long as they’d like.