Best Things to Do After Your First Chiropractor Visit

What should you do after your first chiropractor visit? You’ve done the research and scheduled your first Chiropractic appointment. What else do you need to do? There are many great benefits to seeing a chiropractor. However, doing the right things (and avoiding the wrong ones) will help you benefit most from your appointment. Here are eight things you should do after your first chiropractic adjustment!

Hydrate!

After your first Chiropractor visit, drinking a lot of water is essential. Chiropractic adjustment frees “stuck” or subluxated joints in the body. This relieves muscle spasms, reduces inflammation, and removes nerve pressure. Tight muscles and inflamed joints can retain toxins and, when released, can cause some additional discomfort.

Drinking plenty of water allows the body to flush toxins, speeding up the healing process. If you are dehydrated, muscles and joints won’t function as well, and the inflammatory response to an injury can delay healing.

Movement is Important, But Not Too Much!

The doctors at Integrative Heath and Rehabilitation like to say, “Motion is lotion.” Movement like walking or light stretching helps increase blood flow, moving oxygenated blood throughout the body. This is a vital part of the healing process that begins after your adjustment.

Walking, a light swim, or a bike ride are all good ways to create motion in injured joints. However, don’t overdo it. It’s best to avoid overly vigorous exercises like weight lifting or martial arts.

If you’re unsure what to do after your adjustment, just ask your Integrative Health and Rehabilitation chiropractor. It depends on your background, fitness level, and the type of treatment you’re receiving.

Avoid “Explosive” Movements

After your first chiropractor visit, avoid explosive exercises like jumping, aggressive twisting (e.g., tennis or golf), or moving weights with plyometric force (e.g., power cleans or kettlebell swings).

Chiropractic care usually makes these types of motions easier and less painful. However, it’s best to let your body rest and recover after chiropractic adjustment, acupuncture, or dry needling. After getting you out of pain, your post-adjustment routine may not be as important. Many patients get adjusted before competing in athletic events or on their way to work.

But it is a good idea to give the joints and skeletal system time to adapt at first. If you are getting neck or back pain treatment, loading the skeletal system with explosive force could cause trouble.

Add Chiropractic Exercises to Your Routine

Depending on your injury, Dr. Doran may prescribe light exercise or stretching programs for you to follow. Combined with the chiropractic, acupuncture, laser therapy, or shockwave therapy provided in the office, exercises can help speed your healing by retraining or reeducating the muscles in your back or neck affected by your injury.

Each patient receives a video of the specific exercises that will help their condition and can be safely performed after their first chiropractor visit.

Ice, Not Heat After Your First Chiropractor Visit

Ice helps to reduce inflammation and relieve pain. Signs of inflammation include swelling, redness, tenderness, and pain. Sometimes, an adjustment can briefly irritate the treatment area, resulting in some discomfort. Adjustments are similar to exercise. Sometimes, there can be some soreness, but it is typically short-lived. Consistent chiropractic care provides better results than sporadic visits. Post-adjustment soreness goes away with regular chiropractic care, just like working out regularly. When icing, it’s important to follow these simple rules:

• To prevent frostbite, cover your ice pack with a thin towel or T-shirt. If you don’t have a gel pack handy, you can use a bag of frozen fruits or vegetables.
• Ice the affected area for 20 minutes and take the rest of an hour off.
• Be sure to keep your icing sessions under 20 minutes.
• If you can, repeat this process 2-3 times throughout the day.

Suppose the area being iced is a hand or foot. In that case, fill a bucket or small trash can (line it with a small garbage bag) with ice and cold water and submerge the region. Be sure to fill the container with enough water to cover the ice. Keep the injured area submerged for at least 1-3 minutes. Repeating this 2-3x/day and after activity will help speed healing.

Choose Healthy Foods

Regardless of when your chiropractic appointment is, eating a healthy diet is always crucial. That said, healthy, nutrient-dense foods help your body heal and are vital when recovering from injuries.

Our bodies need the right nutrients to repair damaged tissues. In fact, unhealthy foods high in sugars and trans fats can promote inflammation, increase pain, and delay healing. Inflammation is also a common factor in many common chronic diseases. Eating lean protein, micronutrient-rich fruits and vegetables, and plenty help our bodies heal from injuries

Pay Attention to Your Body After Your First Chiropractor Visit

As a new chiropractic patient, noticing postural changes after adjustment is common. Because chiropractic affects the nervous system, your body will adjust to new stimuli as spinal nerves begin to function without interference.

These sensations often have to do with the healing process taking place. Adjustments can cause tingling or altered muscle sensations near the injured or affected area. This is typically okay, but paying attention is a good idea since tingling refers to your nerves.

If you have questions about what you’re feeling after your adjustment, contact us, and we’ll be happy to explain what’s happening or get you in for a free “re-check” after your visit. It’s also vital to continue your care as, in the beginning, there can be some days where things don’t feel great, but it’s essential to see it through. Don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns about your treatment or symptoms.

Avoid Sitting for Long Periods After Your First Chiropractor Visit

Most of us sit for several hours every day. This is too much sitting and can cause poor posture, which may have caused your trip to the chiropractor in the first place.

Try to avoid long periods of sitting immediately after your chiropractic visit. It’s vital to focus on using proper posture, sitting upright with shoulders back, feet flat on the floor, and elbows bent 90 degrees at your side. Make good posture a habit, and you’ll notice benefits in your physical health and your mental attitude.

Whether you’ve already scheduled your first chiropractic appointment or just considering one, these are important steps to take after your first chiropractor visit. Staying hydrated, making healthy food choices, and getting adequate sleep promote healing. Avoid strenuous movements that may irritate your injury and sitting or standing too long. These positions allow the risk of exacerbating your symptoms.

After Your First Chiropractor Visit FAQ

Q: What should you do after your first chiropractor visit?

Q: Is soreness normal after a chiropractic adjustment?

Q: How long does it take to feel better after your first chiropractor visit?

Q: Should you rest after seeing a chiropractor?

Q: What should you avoid after your first chiropractor visit?

  Dr. James Doran, DC, CCAc Clinic Director, Board Certified, Licensed Colorado Chiropractor Integrative Health and Rehabilitation – Denver, CO