STEPS TO RECLAIM YOUR WELLBEING
Please discuss the importance of these stages and your prescribed treatment schedule with your doctor. Also, remember to discuss your condition with your doctor before you alter your frequency or discontinue your care.One of the major reasons health care costs are so high today is that people wait until they already have a health problem before they go to a doctor. Too many people are symptom oriented. Symptoms are usually the last thing to happen and the first thing to go away, but it doesn't mean the problem is corrected. Wellness care, maintaining your health, is the answer.
1. RELIEF PHASE
In this phase your doctor's main objective is to relieve the pain or discomfort you are experiencing. This is what we call a "band-aid relief."Think of your condition as a team of runaway horses. You can't run out in front of them to stop them. You have to run beside them, slow them down and then stop them. Only then can you turn them around and head back in the opposite direction.
The Relief Phase is designed to stop the progress of your condition. This will take some time depending on
- The severity of your condition How long you have had the condition
- Your general health Your ability to respond to the care
- The frequency of care
- Your age How well you follow instructions
- If your condition can be helped by the doctor How long it will take
- How much it will cost
- How you can pay for your care
- What each phase will consist of in terms of various types of treatments
- How many treatments in each phase and the frequency of the treatments
The Relief Phase of care is designed for relief only. It will not normally correct your health problem, only get you started. Your symptoms will be greatly reduced or possibly eliminated.
Many patients make a mistake believing that when the symptoms have subsided or disappeared they do not need further care. This is usually not the case. Remember, your condition is only relieved. You must continue through the Correction Phase or the symptoms will most likely return. Interrupting your care usually causes further damage which can drastically increase the length and cost of care. Continuing through all four phases is recommended for your best results.
Please discuss the importance of these stages and your prescribed treatment schedule with your doctor. Also, remember to discuss your condition with your doctor before you alter your frequency or discontinue your care.
2. CORRECTION PHASE
The Correction Phase of care is the second phase. The doctor's first priority is to stop the continued progress of your condition.Once that has been accomplished and the acute symptoms have subsided, the Correction Phase will be started. Once the pain is reduced then, and only then, can your treating doctor start correcting the problem. The Correction Phase is the critical phase of care because many times the patient is feeling better. When symptoms subside patients sometimes feel that no more care is needed. The danger in this phase is sometimes patients will prematurely discontinue care before correction takes place because they are feeling better and don't see the value of continuing. This may be a major mistake in regaining their health.
The doctor will correct your condition (as much as it is correctable). In some injuries or conditions, there are up to 20% that can not be completely corrected. In others, complete recovery can be expected.
In your condition the correction phase will be the maximum correction that can be accomplished considering the severity of your condition. There are many factors that determine your results:
- The length of time you have had the problem or condition and its severity.
- How fast your own body's healing rate is.
- How well you follow your doctor's instructions and avoid reinjury.
- How faithful you are in staying on your schedule of care.
In essence how good a patient you are. The doctor wants maximum correction for you so this phase of care needs to be continued as long as any correction is still taking place. The Correction Phase must be completed before the Strengthening Phase can begin.
Keeping your scheduled frequency of appointments in this phase is crucial. The doctor does not want the spine out of alignment, not healing. That would be like breaking your arm and not getting it set. It would heal but would heal crooked. We want as much correction and alignment as possible in the Correction Phase. In this phase there may be minimal or no symptoms, however, care is still appropriate.
3. STRENGTHENING PHASE
Once your care has progressed through the first two phases of care: Phase one Relief, which gets you out of pain and on the road to phase Two Correction, Correcting the problems to the maximum obtainable correction, the next phase is the Strengthening Phase.The Strengthening Phase is of great importance. If the problem area can be strengthened it will dramatically aid the involved area in not returning to the previous problem. When the area is properly strengthened the chances of the injured area being re-injured is greatly reduced. In this phase, the area is rehabilitated.
Usually, in the Strengthening Phase, exercises will be given to increase muscle strength and stabilize the involved area. In the Strengthening Phase there are very few symptoms, so you must understand why you are being treated during this phase.
When you are in the Strengthening Phase the primary job of the doctor is to retrain the muscles and ligaments in the involved area to function properly. It is also an important part of this phase to strengthen the injured area through strengthening and repetitive exercise. This is usually done in the office under our supervision.
This phase of care is a team effort but the most important part of the team in the Strengthening Phase is you, the patient. It is up to you to be very conscientious in staying with your treatment and exercise program. The strengthening phase contributes the most to your recovery. The patients who complete their care always have much better long term results than those who prematurely discontinue rehabilitation exercises before maximum results are obtained.
It is important to keep your scheduled appointments. When you complete this phase, your problem area (as well as your general health) will be greatly improved and you will reduce the possibility of the condition returning.
4. WELLNESS PHASE
Prevention is much better than cure. Wellness Phase Care is the most important phase of care. Once you have accomplished your goal or attained maximum improvement it is wise for you to maintain that level of achievement. Better health, more energy and less medical cost are all advantages of keeping your health, maintained with frequent checkup visits to achieve wellness.Remember, it's much better to maintain good health than treat problems arising from the lack of wellness routines.
You have progressed through the Phases of care: Relief - just getting relief of symptoms or pain, Correction attaining maximum correction for your condition and Strengthening the area of the spine to prevent or reduce the possibilities of your condition returning.
Once you have completed your Strengthening Phase strengthening and reinforcing the area of involvement, the most intelligent decision you can make is to keep the health you have rather than regain lost health.
Your schedule for proper wellness is as follows:
Your doctor will recommend the frequency that is appropriate for you.
The Wellness Phase is by far the most important. It is similar to Preventative Maintenance. The old adage "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" is never more appropriate than in regards to your health.