How Often Should You See a Chiropractor?

This is one of the most common questions I get, and I'll give you the answer most chiropractors won't: it depends, and sometimes the answer is "not very often."

The honest answer

There's no universal schedule that works for everyone. Someone with a physically demanding job, a history of injuries, or chronic issues will need different care than someone who sits at a desk and exercises regularly. Your body isn't the same as anyone else's.

That said, I can give you some general guidelines based on what I see work for most people.

When you're in acute pain

If you're dealing with a recent injury or a flare-up, more frequent visits make sense. This might mean 2-3 times per week for a few weeks. The goal is to break the pain cycle, restore normal movement, and let your body start healing properly.

This phase shouldn't last forever. If you're still coming in 3 times a week after a couple months, something's not working and we need to reassess.

For maintenance and prevention

Once you're out of pain, the question becomes: how do you stay that way? This is where people differ the most.

High-demand lifestyles: Construction workers, nurses, athletes, parents chasing toddlers. If your body takes a beating, weekly or bi-weekly adjustments often make sense. You're accumulating stress faster than your body can clear it.

Desk workers with good habits: If you exercise regularly, move throughout the day, and don't have a history of problems, monthly visits or even less might be plenty. Some people come in quarterly just for a tune-up.

History of recurring issues: If your back goes out every few months, regular maintenance often prevents those episodes. It's usually cheaper and less painful to prevent problems than to fix them after they happen.

When you might not need regular care

Some people don't need ongoing chiropractic care, and that's fine. If you had an issue, we fixed it, and it hasn't come back, there's no reason to keep coming in. Your body is doing its job.

I'd rather you come in when you actually need help than show up out of habit or guilt. My goal is to get you better and keep you that way with the least intervention necessary.

Red flags to watch out for

Be cautious of any practitioner who tells you on day one that you'll need 30 visits or puts you on a rigid long-term schedule before seeing how you respond to treatment. Every body is different. A good treatment plan adapts based on how you're actually doing.

Also be wary of "lifetime wellness plans" that require prepayment. If the care is valuable, you'll want to come back. You shouldn't need to be locked into anything.

My approach

When you come in, I'll assess where you're at and give you my honest recommendation. If I think you need a few visits close together, I'll tell you. If I think you're fine to come back in a month, I'll tell you that too. And if you're good to go and don't need to come back unless something changes, I'll tell you that as well.

For people who want regular care, our monthly plan gives you up to 3 visits per week. Most people don't use all of that, but it's there if you need it. And you can cancel anytime if your needs change.