A common question we get is: does it hurt when you go to the chiropractor? Or, will treatment hurt, be painful, or be safe?
Quite often people that enter The Back Doctor (a Chiropractor in Sussex) are already in pain and are looking for a resolution. The last thing we want to do is to make them feel worse than they already are.
During the diagnosis, we will take time to figure out what’s causing the pain and then see if we can help you.
As mentioned, we will grade you as a patient on your current health and the appropriate chiropractic treatment for you at this time.
Our Chiropractic Clinic Grading System
Our grading system goes from one to four and encompasses all patients. This makes sure that the chiropractic care they receive (or not), is correct and safe for them at that moment in time.
Grade One Patient
A grade one patient will mean the body is in a guarding posture and pain will be present to prevent further movement.
The goal of treatment at this stage is to turn off muscle guarding, if the body is ready to do so, and support the healing process.
Less is more at this stage, and light corrections and changes will suit this patient.
The patient will feel more pain from laying on the treatment table than from the effects of the chiropractic changes made.
We follow Gonstead’s rule, which will feel good for the patient instantly and afterwards.
Grade Two Patient
A grade two patient still might be sore on movement, but global muscle guarding has been resolved. They will look and move far better than if they improved from the patient one scale.
The goal of treatment at this stage is to free any fixations in the spinal facet joints (using chiropractic adjustments) so that the body can reconnect with a good range of movement patterns and posture.
These changes will be supported by remedial-based exercises with an intention to move them to patient three.
Grade 3 Patient
A grade three patient is in a good place before treatment. They are not in any pain and they feel good.
They understand treatment is about helping them move better and feel good. They intuitively want to stay in the patient three status and can feel changes that phase them back to patient two, such as slip, an awkward lift, or unexpected prolonged sitting.
They become attuned to the changes, whereas before they would have ignored the warning signs and they might have started with us as a patient one.
The treatment feels good as the body rewards them with feel-good chemicals reconnecting with efficient movements patterns.
Grade 4 Patient
A grade four patient understands the mind-body connection.
Treatment is looked forward to and the patient has complete trust in their practitioner, which is usually gained over many appointments and superior care.
They realise they move better after treatment, but the treatment is not limited to rational means only – treatment is a spiritual and emotional release that helps them reconnect with their purpose and meaning.
They understand health is a collective and not only an individual. Treatment helps them reconnect to the universe. These patients sometimes are euphoric and feel lighter and freer afterward.
In Conclusion
Therefore in answer to the question; experiencing pain during treatment depends on your current state mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually.
We will do our best to make treatment pain-free and beneficial to you, by using our expert knowledge and patient grading protocol. This is how we can progress people back to normal life safely and effectively.
Please feel free to call us for a free phone consultation at our chiropractic clinic in West Sussex to see if we can help you.
01444 453888 | theteam@the-back-doctor.co.uk