If you’re someone who regularly goes to the chiropractor, you might be worried that after your upcoming back surgery, you won’t be able to receive adjustments anymore. The good news is most back surgery still allows for chiropractic care, and this type of treatment often helps you heal from your surgery as well. There are some things you should know, however, as you don’t want to damage your back further or reinjure the area where you just had surgery.
Speak With Your Physician and Chiropractor Before Surgery
There’s a chance you should stop receiving chiropractic adjustments a certain amount of time before your back surgery. For some types of surgery, you can receive chiropractic care right up to the surgery, but with other issues, you should wait until the problem is taken care of before you receive an adjustment. This is why it’s important to keep communication open between you, your physician and your chiropractor. As long as the chiropractor knows what’s going on and what your estimated course of treatment is, he or she can make the right decisions for chiropractic care as well.
Recover Fully After Your Surgery
It’s essential for your health that you recover fully after your surgery and before you receive a chiropractic adjustment. You might be itching to get back there because you’re excited to increase mobility, but you need to be patient. If you go in for an adjustment too soon and you haven’t communicated everything properly to your chiropractor, you could end up damaging the area where you had surgery.
As an example, a spinal fusion requires at least three months before a fully immobilized graft is created. Beyond that, you’ll need months and months of physical therapy as well. Physical therapy will help you begin to get that range of motion back, but it will also strengthen the muscles and get them ready for a chiropractic adjustment. There’s a possibility it will be a year before you can be adjusted following this type of surgery.
Speak Up If Anything Seems Amiss
When you finally do get back to the chiropractor, don’t be afraid to speak up if anything doesn’t feel quite right. Your chiropractor only knows what he or she can see and feel on the outside. You are the only one who can feel whether there’s pain on the inside. Always communicate well so you can receive proper care.
Contact Your Chiropractor With Questions
Chances are you have more questions and that’s great! Contact a chiropractor, like from AmeriWell Clinics, to get those questions answered today.
