Deciding to see a chiropractor is a big step in your personal health journey. Chiropractic care not only fixes your alignment, but it can also:
- Restore your balance
- Decrease chronic pain
- Relax tension throughout your entire body
After leaving the chiropractor’s office following an adjustment, you’ll feel lighter with improved range of motion, restored circulation, and relaxed muscles. There may also be some feeling of tenderness in the muscles as your body realigns into its proper position. All of these effects are normal.
However, if you want your chiropractic treatment to be successful, there’s a responsibility that falls on you, as well. To maximize the benefits of your care, it’s important to practice proper health maintenance in-between visits.
It’s what you do after leaving your first visit that makes such a big difference in your treatment’s effectiveness. One of the big responsibilities is drinking enough water.
Perhaps you’ve heard this from a friend or colleague who’s had an adjustment, and you’ve been asking yourself, “Why drink water after a chiropractic adjustment?” You’re not alone. Read on to learn the answer and find out more ways to enhance the effectiveness of your chiropractic adjustment.
Staying Hydrated Enhances the Chiropractic Experience
Why is it important to drink water after a chiropractic adjustment? It helps to flush toxins out of the body, nourish your spine, and enhance your overall wellness routine.
As your chiropractor manipulates your spine and adjusts it back into proper position, toxins that were built up around your vertebrae are then released into the body. When you supply your body with a steady stream of hydration, you’re helping those toxins get flushed out of your system more quickly. It will, in turn, reduce any feelings of soreness that may linger following your appointment.
Drinking water is especially important if you’re getting a chiropractic adjustment two days in a row. The water will nourish the discs located between the vertebrae of your spine, keeping it flexible and healthy. This also makes any additional treatments much smoother for you and your chiropractor.
After you leave your chiropractic adjustment appointment, start drinking water, and keep drinking water for at least the first 24 hours.
Why You Should Hydrate on a Regular Basis
Now that you know why to drink water after a chiropractic adjustment, we’re going to dive into why hydration should be part of your regular wellness routine.
It would help if you were drinking water every day to maintain optimal health. According to the Mayo Clinic, men should drink approximately 15.5 cups (3.67 l) each day, while women should aim for 11.5 cups (2.72 l) each day. These measurements can include water from beverages like juice, sparkling water, or even foods like watermelon and cucumber. About 20 percent of daily fluid should come from food, with the rest coming from drinks.
Drinking water regularly will support your overall health and wellness goals. By combining the benefits of chiropractic adjustments and regular fluid intake, you will reduce your chances of developing illnesses or an injury that could require additional treatment down the road.
This is because as water flushes out the toxins in your body, your body becomes stronger and less susceptible to illness in the future. The water also aids in illness or injury recovery, speeding up the process.
Hydration also contributes to glowing skin and fewer headaches, reduces fatigue, boosts energy, improves sleeping habits, and tames hunger. If you’re not already drinking your daily recommended amount of water, it’s never too late to start.
Other Tips After a Chiropractic Adjustment
Now you know chiropractic care depends on hydration to maximize effectiveness, but what else can you do to improve results?
If you want to boost the effects of your chiropractic adjustment even more, we have a few more tips up our sleeve to offer. In addition to drinking lots of water, it’s a good idea to exercise, rest, and follow your chiropractor’s health plan for you. This becomes even more important when getting a chiropractic adjustment 2 days in a row, as it improves outcomes of the next treatment.
By exercising carefully and as directed by your chiropractor, you’ll strengthen your muscles and increase your rate of recovery. Pairing that with enough quality rest will create the perfect environment for healing.
Additionally, follow any specific instructions given to you by your chiropractor for the best results.
Make Sure to Exercise
Exercising after your adjustment might not be at the top of your list of things to do, but it should be. Just be sure to clear these exercises with your practitioner before attempting anything that could be too challenging or dangerous.
If you are recovering from an injury that your chiropractor is helping you get through, take their recommendations seriously. They will likely send you home with a paper outlining the best exercises to perform to strengthen your muscles and heal the impacted area. At the same time, make sure you understand the difference between a chiropractor and a physical therapist.
Make sure to do the exercises assigned to you. Although uncomfortable, they are doing a specific job to speed up your healing process. If you want to truly partner with your chiropractor, you’ll need to heed their advice while you’re on their table and while at home.
The movements will help you:
- — Strengthen weak muscles that may be unused or unbalanced from injury
- — Speed up healing in areas of torn muscles or ligaments
- — Reduce pain associated with the release of toxins following an adjustment
As long as you take your exercise instructions seriously, you’ll reap the benefits. If you feel like you haven’t gotten what you need out of chiropractic care, make sure you’re completing any suggested exercises for the full effect. Otherwise, you could be missing a key piece of your recovery plan.
Follow Your Chiropractor’s Advice
Your chiropractic treatment doesn’t end the moment you leave the office. The most effective chiropractic plans combine both in-office adjustments and at-home care like exercise, rest, and follow-up visits.
To get the most of your treatment plan, take all parts of it just as seriously as your chiropractor is. Even if you feel all the better after one adjustment, be sure to return for all follow-up appointments and adhere to at-home guidelines to prevent relapse of illness or re-injury of the affected area. If you stop your treatment short, your body may return to misalignment, and your previous symptoms could return.
Your chiropractor only has your best interests at heart. Their goal is to get your alignment and mobility back to 100% — and to keep it there. If that is your goal, too, you’ll need to follow your treatment plan to reap all the benefits of proper chiropractic care. So drink your water, do your exercises, and listen to the helpful advice of your chiropractic provider.
Now you know chiropractic treatment is effective — especially when you follow all aspects of your care plan and drink plenty of water!
If you’re in Sacramento and need quality chiropractic care, reach out to Sunrise Chiropractic at your convenience to schedule an appointment and find relief faster!
