Why Maintenance Care?

Now that you are feeling better and stronger you may be asking, “what’s next?”

This is a question many of my patients wonder about. They say, “I feel fine, why do I need to come in?”

Let’s answer that today. Why do you go to the dentist one to two times a year? Why do you get a yearly physical? Here’s a stretch, but why do you get your oil changed every 3000 miles?

Why? Because prevention and maintenance makes sense. It’s better to get checked out before a major problem develops. Doesn’t it make sense to you?

I have heard many times from an acute patient that is in acute pain, “I didn’t do anything, I just bent over to get my socks on.” The majority of my patients that are having pain will not be able to recall a specific moment or action(lifting something too heavy, falling) that initiated their pain.

So what happened to them? Why are they in acute pain? It is simply that your body is in constant motion and constant stress. Everyday your spine is tested by all the things you do and it is normal for the vertebrae in your spine to start to slip out of alignment. Then one day you sneeze or bend over and end up doubled over with pain, muscle spasms and/or pinched nerves.

Time to see Dr Maitland. Many of you know that taking pain medication is only masking what is really going on. Taking medicine for a mechanical problem is not the answer. You might feel better for a time, but you are not realigning your spine. Periodic check-ups can help prevent more serious problems from developing. Don’t ignore the symptoms that are trying to tell you to call Dr Maitland such as tightness, stiffness, decreased range of motion and/or joint pain.

Staying healthy, active and mobile requires effort as a person gets older. You have to exercise, eat right, watch your weight, take proper supplementation(vitamins) and get regular adjustments. One more thing to keep in mind; research shows that people who get regular adjustments are healthier, get sick less often and have fewer hospital visits during their lifetime.

Keep those appointments the Doctor recommends.

Yours in good health,

Dr. Derek Maitland