Okay, Fine.
The secret is out. I’m in a new hot-and-heavy, serious relationship.
… with my chiropractor.
Kidding, but not really.
If you follow me on Instagram, may may have noticed how often I post about my mornings spent at my chiro’s office.
I’ve been getting adjusted 3 times a week for the last 3 months or so ( aside from when I’m traveling. ) This is the most stable, committed relationship I’ve had in probably my whole life, lolz.
Because I get DMs about my chiropractic experience relatively frequently, I figured I’d visit the topic more in-depth on H+H, for those of you who are curious to know if you may benefit from regular adjustments.
So, let’s start at the start.
What Drove Me to the Chiropractor?
I began to experience dull, aching pain in my left hip around September of 2018. I noticed the pain creeping up slowly (and then intensifying rapidly) when I began opting to walk places instead of drive as often as possible.
( Don’t mind the sad fact that I am 25 years old with hip problems I assumed only existed in retirement homes. )
When the pain became intense enough to wake me up in the middle of the night, I figured it was time to get it checked out by a professional.
I have A LOT of pride, so it is RARE for me to admit when I’m in pain. I usually just ignore this type of stuff and hope it subsides eventually. So y ‘all have to know it became somewhat unbearable. I couldn’t walk, stand, or sleep without the aching pain.
I had seen a few influencers I trust post about In8love Chiropractic on social media, so I went in for a quick consult with Dr. T.
BTW-I am in no way sponsored by In8love, I’ve just had an great experience with them so far. I’d be doing you LA peeps a disservice not to share!
The initial consult was free, because I mentioned that an influencer friend had suggested In8love to me. My consult included a brief physical exam, as well as x-rays to confirm what was happening internally.
The X-Ray Results
Post-X-ray, I went in to Dr. T’s office to chat about the results. Basically, the main issues I have are:
• what is called a “high hip,” which explains the hip pain. Due to a bit of a curve at the bottom of my spine, my hips are uneven, which means there is extra pressure on one hip throughout the day.
• compression of the spine at the top ( AKA in my neck ) & bottom ( near my hips ). after years of gymnastics and tumbling on top of everyday wear-and-tear, I suppose I shouldn’t have been surprised to hear my spine had taken a bit of a beating.
• lastly, my neck isn’t curved back in the proper way, which is common in people who work on the computer/phone most of the time. We look down too much, so our neck’s begin to curve in an unhealthy way to facilitate that.
Dr. T explained to me that your spine REALLY is the backbone of your overall health. I’m not sure why this was such a revelation to me. It seems extremely obvious, right?
Structurally speaking, your spine hold you up ( kind of important, no? ). It’s also your brain’s right-hand, as its responsible for sending messages to your body.
Areas where I had compression were related to anxiety & depression as well as digestion problems. If you know me, you know these are the two main health issues I’ve dealt with throughout my entire life. So, these findings were interesting to me.
Dr. T then drew up a plan-of-attack to jump-start fixing these problems. Spine issues aren’t dealt with overnight, they do take some time to resolve, so its more of a journey than a quick fix.
My Chiropractic Plan
• Adjustments 3x/week for about 12 weeks, each visit consists of:
– dip traction to warm up my spine.
– post-adjustment traction for an allotted amount of time prescribed by Dr. T.
– vibration plate stretching/exercises to set the adjustment.
– ( if I have time ) I do the wobbly chair to stretch my hips.
• 1 “posture party” class where Dr. T teaches you how to sleep, stand, & sit to best improve/ maintain your spine.
• (occasional ) chiropractic massage to stretch + relax my body
• at-home treatment maintenance
– traction pillow – to stretch your neck at home
– wobble disc – to stretch your hips/stabilize your core anywhere
– laptop stand – to keep your head and neck lifted while working on the computer
– posture brace – I bought a similar contraption to Dr. T’s posture “noodles” to keep my posture in tip top shape from the comfort of my home.
( BTW- I look like a GRADE A DORK working at home with my laptop stand, sitting on my wobbly disc, wearing my posture brace. Enjoy that visual. )
I feel like I should add: Chiropractic care is not cheap. Luckily for me, me insurance covered half of the expenses. I definitely recommend looking into what your insurance plan will cover! You may be surprised.
It took about 2-3 weeks of regular adjustments for me to experience the post-adjustment euphoria I’ve heard so much about in my research on chiropractic care. The immediate relief I feel after adjustments is undeniable. I’m a believer.
Every few weeks, I sit down with Dr. T to evaluate the progress I’ve made. I’m nearing the end of my first few months of frequent adjustments. Committing to being in the office that frequently isn’t ideal for everyone, but its really only demanded at the beginning of treatment.
Then, your in-office visits become less-frequent and your at-home care becomes the main focus.
So far, my experience seeing a chiropractor has been much more productive than I ever expected. If you have any health issues you feel may be related to your spine, I highly recommend going in for a consult with a trusted chiropractor in your area.
If you’re in LA, In8love Chiropractic is 100% my top choice.
I feel its good to get a handle on things like this as a young person! Think of it as damage-control.
I hope this info was helpful for you! I’m always available to answer your Qs ( feel free to reach out via Instagram DM! ).
Anyone else an adjustment-addict? LMK if you love chiropractor as much as I do?
Talk soon, beebs! x