"Once you go, you have to keep going back!"
I'm sure you've heard someone say this at least one time or maybe you've said it yourself! It's not a sales gimmick (at least for me it's not, I can't speak for every healthcare provider on the planet). It's not a numbers game. It's not that we want you to pledge your undying allegiance to our office and our office alone. It's just common sense when it comes to making a lasting positive impact on your health. If you are aiming to have long-term results, that takes long-term commitment and consistency.
It's not exclusive to just chiropractic care. It's exclusive to anything related to your life. If you want to make a positive impact on your finances, mental/emotional stability + health, physical health, spiritual health, interpersonal relationships, or anything, you have to be willing to commit yourself to goals that you set and make a consistent ("more often than not") effort to reaching those goals.
Quite frankly, it's insane to think that long-term positive changes don't require long-term consistent action. In fact, most of the people who complain about seeing a chiropractor consistently have never sought out care from one before.
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Different Care for Different Reasons
No two people receive the same brand of care. There are 3 primary ways that people can utilize chiropractic care: short term, long term, and wellness/lifestyle/maintenance care. NOTE: these are not exclusive to chiropractic care but are present in the general world of health and wellness.
Short-Term Care
This is one of the most common ways that people utilize chiropractic care. Short-term problems pop up all of the time -- headaches, pinch in your shoulder acting up, accidents, slips, falls, etc. It's important to remember that short-term chiropractic care is not designed to remedy chronic conditions and is not meant to be used as a lifestyle implementation. Short-term chiropractic care is designed and structured to meet a short-term goal.
If you're seeking short-term care for a long-term problem, you probably aren't going to be very happy with the results and you need to temper your expectations. This is a lot like being 50 lbs overweight and expecting 1 week in the gym to help you shed the excess weight. It isn't a realistic expectation and instead reflects on the person seeking the care. Instant gratification RARELY exists in a health-related setting. It's not a bad thing to seek out short-term care from a chiropractor and, most of the time, it can be extremely beneficial. However, if you have an issue that has been present for 20+ years, it's reasonable to expect a similar timeline in order to experience correction!
Long-Term Care
Most of the people who utilize chiropractic in a short term will likely utilize it in the long term as well! There are different reasons that people do this -- maybe they feel better, maybe they're sleeping better, maybe they dropped a couple points on their handicap in golf because they can move better, maybe their condition requires more care than they originally thought, maybe they saw so much benefit from it in the short term that including in their lifestyle was a no-brainer. Whatever the reason is for someone utilizing chiropractic care in the long term, it's safe to say that there likely isn't anyone that's forcing them to do it. Most people continue with chiropractic care long term because of the benefits it provides them!
Wellness/Lifestyle/Maintenance Care
You've probably met a few people in your life who exercise frequently throughout the week (or maybe this IS you)! They aren't overweight, they aren't unhealthy, they aren't in pain, they aren't someone who you would think NEEDS to be in the gym that frequently. In fact, they probably aren't in the gym for the reasons that most people SHOULD go to the gym, but they understand the lifelong positive impact that frequent and consistent exercise has on the body!
The same is true for people who seek out care from a chiropractor for wellness. They have seen the benefits it's provided them and/or their friends and family. They understand that wellness care allows them to feel and function their best so they can continue to improve their quality of life. They aren't even in pain, but they understand that consistent care allows them to feel, function, and move their best.
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Conclusion
Do I think everyone should seek out chiropractor care? Yes. Do I think everyone who seeks out chiropractic care will see a positive impact? No. There are a lot of people in this world who seek short-term solutions for long-term problems -- hence why we are in the middle of an opioid epidemic. These people will not see results and will most likely not follow through on the recommendations that a chiropractor will give them.
Healing takes time. It's unrealistic to think that the body will heal itself instantly if it's been afflicted by something for years. However, with time and consistency, you can see incredible changes take place within the body. A man by the name of Ralph W. Stevenson created what we know today as the 33 Principles of Chiropractic. The 6th Principle is labeled "The Principle of Time" where he states:
"There is no process that does not require time." -Ralph Stevenson
You have to temper your expectations and remove yourself from the instant gratification paradigm. It is a destructive mode of thinking and will often lead to frustration. The body is a beautifully and intricately constructed organism that is capable of producing body-wide healing if given the correct amount of time, consistency, and care. You are capable of experiencing healing, but one of things that limits your ability to heal is the mindset you have surrounding the world of health and wellness.
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