How long it takes to feel better after starting chiropractic care depends on several factors, including the severity and duration of your condition, your overall health, and how consistently you follow your treatment plan.
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Mild or recent injuries: Many people report some improvement after just one or two sessions, and most feel significant relief within the first two weeks of treatment.
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Chronic or long-standing conditions: If you’ve had pain or dysfunction for months or years, it may take at least 2–4 weeks of regular care before you notice substantial improvement, with some cases requiring several months for steady progress.
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Type of tissue involved:
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Bone injuries may heal in about 5–6 weeks.
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Ligament and tendon injuries often need 6–8 weeks.
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Disc and cartilage problems can take up to 3 months or more for full healing.
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Other factors that affect recovery:
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Consistency: Receiving chiropractic therapy 2–3 times per week early on usually leads to faster results.
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Lifestyle: Staying active, maintaining a healthy weight, and following home exercise recommendations can speed up recovery.
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Individual response: Some people feel better after their first visit, while others need more time. About 60% of patients feel relief after their first session, while 30% need two or three visits, and 10% may take longer. Occasionally about 10% of patient feel a little worse after their first treatment. Its like going to the gym, you might feel great when you leave but the next day you are sore because your muscles and joints are not used to being worked like that.
Important: Feeling better does not always mean full healing. Even after symptoms improve, ongoing care or exercises may be recommended to stabilize your condition and prevent recurrence.
If you do not notice any improvement after a few weeks of consistent chiropractic care, it’s important to discuss this with your chiropractor to reassess your treatment plan or consider other options.
I encourage patient to keep up with their exercises even after we discontinue therapy because weak muscle and unstable regions will regress and pain can return.
Because of that we have added a rehab area for patients to spend time exercising and strengthening their muscles. We also work on proprioception or balance.
