Short answer: How often you should see a chiropractor depends on what's going on in your spine, how long it's been there and what you want from care. There's no set number that suits everyone. A good chiropractor checks you first, explains what they found, and recommends a frequency that usually tapers as you improve. The final choice is always yours.
How often should you see a chiropractor? It depends on your findings
Anyone who quotes you a number of visits before they've checked you is guessing. Two people can walk in with "low back pain" and need very different things. One bent awkwardly last week. The other has had a stiff, aching back that keeps coming back for ten years.
The things that shape how often a chiropractor suggests you come in include:
- How long you've had the problem. Something that started recently often behaves differently to something you've lived with for years.
- What the check shows. How your spine, joints and nerves are moving and responding, and whether X-rays or other tests are needed first.
- How your body responds. People respond at different rates, so a good plan is reviewed as you go, not set in stone.
- Your work and daily life. Long hours at a desk, physical work, sport and sleep all play a part.
- Your goals. Some people want help with a specific problem and then to get on with life. Others choose to keep coming in now and then once they're feeling better.
How frequency usually changes over time
Many people find care follows a general pattern, although your chiropractor will tailor it to you.
| Stage | What's happening | How often (in general) |
|---|---|---|
| Early care | Working on the problem you came in with, and checking how you respond | Closer together |
| As you improve | Building on progress, with more of the work done at home through exercises and advice | Visits spread further apart |
| Ongoing (optional) | Some people choose to keep coming in to stay on top of things | Spaced out, and up to you |
The key word is taper. As things settle, the gaps between visits should get longer. If you're not sure why you're still coming at the same rate, ask. You should always get a straight answer.
Is more often always better?
No. More visits aren't automatically better, and nobody should feel pressured into coming in more than they need to. Care should match what your check found and how you're responding. If you'd like to know whether a weekly routine makes sense, we cover it in is it good to go to a chiropractor every week?
Research on the nervous system points the same way. Chiropractors adjust spinal segments that aren't moving or being controlled well, which researchers describe as a change in how the brain controls a spinal segment.1 In a 2024 trial of 96 adults with recurrent neck pain, the brain's response changed only when the segment flagged on assessment was the one adjusted.2 That puts the emphasis on careful checking and re-checking, rather than on the number of visits. More in chiropractic and your nervous system.
What you do between visits matters too. Home exercises, how you sit and sleep, and staying active are part of the picture. Our posture exercises are a good place to start.
How we approach this at MPCC
We don't give anyone a visit number on the phone, because we haven't checked them yet. Here's how it works instead.
- New patient appointment. Your story, posture pictures, and a thorough chiropractic, orthopaedic and neurological check of your spine, joints and nerves. It takes 30 to 40 minutes. If your history and check point to them, we'll refer you for X-rays. Whether you're adjusted on the first visit is up to the clinical judgement of your chiropractor. Often more testing comes first.
- Report of findings appointment. We tell you what we found in plain English, whether we can help, and what we'd recommend, including how often we'd suggest seeing you and why. If we can't help, we'll tell you straight.
- Your choice. You decide whether to go ahead and how. We review your progress as we go, and visits are spaced out as you improve.
Want to see what's involved before you book? Have a look at your first appointment, start to finish, or read what exactly a chiropractor does.
What it costs, so there are no surprises
A new patient appointment is $195, or $125 when you book online through our website (new practice members only, one per person). The report of findings appointment and standard appointments are $95. HICAPS is on the desk, so if your extras cover includes chiropractic, you can claim on the spot. See fees and health funds for the details, including Medicare care plans and DVA.
References (2)
- Haavik H, et al. (2021). Contemporary model of vertebral column joint dysfunction. Eur J Appl Physiol. doi:10.1007/s00421-021-04727-z
- Niazi IK, et al. (2024). Site of HVLA thrust and sensorimotor integration. Sci Rep. doi:10.1038/s41598-024-51201-9