November - Is this normal after and adjsutment?
Is this Normal after my Adjustment?
We get asked this question every day. What is normal after an adjustment? Why do I feel tired after an adjustment? These are excellent questions, and we wish more patients would ask more questions about their care. Here are a few tips:
Reminder - what does an adjustment do?
An adjustment corrects joint dysfunction that leads to irritated (or pinched) nerves. Nerves are the communication pathways in your body, and when a nerve is irritated, the nerve is telling your brain and body that something is wrong. This can lead to muscle tightness, pain and decreased range of motion of the joint. When we are adjusting you, we try to normalize the function of the joint which will take the pressure off the irritated nerve. Our bodies need to understand the changes that we are trying to make, and this is why you feel the effects of an adjustment.
How will I feel after an adjustment?
Temporary worsening of symptoms - tightness or soreness. When we are adjusting you, we are giving your body new instructions on how to heal. Your body has been healing in one pattern for a long time, so sometimes your body becomes more sore when we are trying to make it heal in a different way.
This is similar to when you go for a long walk, run or to the gym to work out and feel soreness the next day. There is a change happening to your body in a physical manner, and your body reacts to it. Each time you have an adjustment, you will experience less and less temporary aggravation and only experience the intended positive effects.
Tired. Our bodies have a natural healing process, but sometimes we need outside help. After an adjustment, you can be tired. This tired feeling comes from both your body trying to interpret the instructions we are giving it to heal, and from the release of certain hormones and enzymes that happens when your body is adjusted. It’s normal to be exhausted with all of this learning, your body is working hard!
Changes in numbness or tingling, especially when you have a nerve related problem. When you have a problem with a severely irritated nerve, where you have numbness or tingling in your body, after we adjust you to relieve the pinch on the nerve, your body can react in a different way. Most of the time, the numbness or tingling will become less frequent or intense after the adjustment, but in some cases it can temporarily worsen as your nerve is not used to being less irritated.
How long will it take? Sometimes the improvements are quick, and other times they take longer. Remember, the longer a problem or condition exists, the longer it takes to get better and heal. Each time you are adjusted your body gets better and better at remembering the proper posture and alignment (or “new instructions for healing”) and holds the adjustment better. As your body is getting better at this new way of healing, you will need to be adjusted less frequently to feel well.
This is why it is so important to stay on track with your treatment plan suggested by your chiropractor. They have a good idea on how long it takes for your body to improve, and will lay out a treatment plan that will work for your condition. We will re-evaluate your condition and scenario after the treatment plan and create a new schedule based on the progress made.
A few reminders…
As we start seeing more weather changes please remember to take any wet shoes or boots off in the front foyer. You are welcome to wear sock-feet into the treatment rooms, or we have slip-on shoes (cleaned daily) to wear into the office. There is no need to remove your shoes if they are dry and clean, but we try to keep our floors and doctors dry.
Always remember if you need to change your appointment or if you need an urgent appointment, to please call early in the day. If the phone is not answered, please leave a message as our staff are helping other patients. They are excellent at returning your call quite quickly.