Follow Through Makes All the Difference

I have heard it a million times..."I tried Chiropractic and it didn't work for me." My next question is always, "How many times did you go before you stopped?"

Generally, I will hear an answer of one or two times. While it is true that chiropractic care will not work for every person or every problem, one or two visits is not an adequate treatment for the majority of problems. So, why don't people follow through before declaring it a failure? I think that happens for several reasons:

1. The patient has a high copay and was not planning on having to do more than one or two visits. At that point, they start to worry that they are going to spend a lot of money and get no result.
2. The doctor did not make the treatment plan clear, and therefore the patient was expecting to feel better within a few visits.
3. A friend or family member has told them of the "miracle of chiropractic" and how after just one "crack" they had no more pain. This does happen, and it is great when it does, but most cases do not respond that quickly. This creates a disappointment that can be as damaging as someone telling them it won't work!
4. Outside influences start to create doubt. Sometimes when a patient starts treatment, they get negative feedback from family or friends and they suddenly doubt their choice and stop care.
5. Chiropractors oversell the care and scare patients away. I have heard a lot of patients and a lot of chiropractors talk about extremely lengthy treatment plans proposed on the second visit with a need for payment plans and long term commitments. This is, in my opinion, damaging to chiropractic. When I say lengthy, I mean a year or 6 months planned out right away. There is NO reason that you should need to commit to a year right away! NOW- you SHOULD expect to have about a month planned out if you have a significant problem. If you have an auto accident or herniated disc, you may be in for a few months of care. But I don't blame a patient for running for the door when they show up with a stiff neck and are told they will need care for a year. I would run too!

So how do you decide what to do?
I would recommend asking yourself the following questions.

1. Have I had this problem for a long time? If so, chances are it is going to take a while to fix it.
2. Is there a structural defect or damage involved? Do you have a disc herniation or arthritis? Again, it may take a while to get your problem under control.
3. Did the doctor explain why the care is necessary and what to expect? Were there goals set, such as 50% improvement by 2 weeks? Treatment should be focused on REAL results.
4. What do I hope to gain from treatment? This is not always a simple question. Do you just want to get your pain to a manageable level? If so, you need to let the doctor know that. We are ALWAYS going to recommend the care that will eliminate or stabilize the problem. If you just want to get well enough to get through the week, then that is different. You need to share that information, and you should expect that your pain may return.

The obvious point I am making here is that there needs to be communication between the doctor and the patient and an establishment of realistic goals and expectations. A patient has a right to know WHY care is needed and approximately HOW LONG it is expected to take. However, you cannot fairly say that something doesn't work if you did not follow through with a reasonable plan. If a doctor tells you that something will take 2 weeks to heal and you give it 2 days, the blame does not fall with the doctor! We all wish that there was a magic pill or adjustment that will cure something instantly, but sadly, the body is limited by its own healing mechanisms, and we can only work within those parameters.

Be Well!