Returning When You Feel Fine

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How you feel is not always a good indication of how healthy you are; in fact you may feel fine while life-threatening vertebral subluxations (spinal distortions) are damaging your body. We’ve all seen people looking like death warmed over who “feel fine.” They are walking targets, waiting for disease to strike before they decide to do anything about their health. They “feel fine” but have no energy; they “feel fine” but sleep poorly; they “feel fine” but are tired, have aches and pains, headaches or backaches. Too many people who “feel fine” have a sudden heart attack, stroke, debilitating pain or are diagnosed with a serious disease such as cancer.

They’ve lost touch with how they really feel. They’ll return for chiropractic care when they “feel like it’ and not a minute sooner.” They’ve stopped listening to their body’s subtle signs of sickness, and they won’t listen to their chiropractor either. Why wait for something to go wrong before you attend to your health? It may be too late if you wait for symptoms.

Many people first visit their chiropractor after they’ve had years of long-standing spinal subluxations. By that time “gunk” (scar tissue or fibrosis) builds up around the spinal discs, nerves and joints and causes spinal degeneration. This “gunk” is much more sensitive than normal tissue’ and that’s why some people who have been in accidents can tell when a storm’s coming. That’s one reason why eighty-six percent of those in automobile accidents still have symptoms ten years later.

Long-standing subluxations also cause postural changes, so tender muscle areas (trigger or tender spots) develop.’ You may “feel fine” but when someone touches a “hot spot,” you jump!

The Acute Phase

In this phase you may be in a state of discomfort or pain; people often visit a chiropractor when they’re in this phase.

Reconstructive or Spinal Healing Phase

In this phase you continue to go to your chiropractor because you need continued corrective care in order to strengthen and heal. Individuals in this phase may find that nearly every time they come in for a spinal checkup their spine is out of alignment.

Health Maintenance Phase

Now your spine is holding its adjustments; you come in every so often for a spinal checkup and possible adjustment. Think of this in the same way that you think of a car tune-up every few thousand miles.

Though your symptoms may disappear after a few spinal adjustments, the spinal degeneration will usually remain. The chances are that you’ll be back in the chiropractor’s office in the not-too-distant future with symptoms that take longer to go away (“I don’t understand it doctor, the last time I felt better after a couple of visits…”).

Many people visit their doctor of chiropractic only when they’re sick or in pain. That’s a lot better than resorting to drugs or surgery, but chiropractic has so much more to offer. Keep your spine free of vertebral subluxations so it may continue healing; so that it may promote a healthier body, with less stress, more energy and greater resistance to disease.

Why be content to be merely free from pain when you can also ensure better health, vitality and strength for yourself and your entire family for your entire lives?