Question
What does it mean when my chiropractor says he is training the spine?

Answer
Anne,

There's no official term called "spine training."  Traditionally, and empirically, chiropractors and patients have experienced the beneficial effects of spinal joint manipulation to wear off over time.  The amount of time varies from person to person and it depends on the clinical situation.  Some people experience this effect hours after, and some months after.  There is no good clinical study on this phenominon yet.  Nevertheless, it may explain why the profession has coined the "montly maintenance" visit.  What your chiropractor may be talking about, metaphorically, regards a "dose response" to the joint manipulation.  Just like with drugs, if you don't take the right dose, or don't take the medicine as frequently as prescribed, then it may not work.  Providing treatment three times per week is the dose that many people require in order to make changes in joint function and create lasting symptom relief.  It's sort of like "training the spine" to stay in an improved state so that it's condition doesn't decay back to it's original state between visits. This is a rational approach early in treatment that should end after a few weeks or so, and should not go on for months at a time.  Another type of "training" is where treatment is aimed at improving the degrees and angles of your spine's curvatures.  In other words, your neck should have about a 35 degree curve, and some "believe" that if it's less than that it is a reason to be treated.  If this is the type of "training" you're receiving, then you need to ask some serious questions: 1) how do you know for sure that changing a curve is beneficial? (there's not much to support that is is) 2) how do you know that you can change it, and if you can't, do I get my money back? 3) if I feel fine and have no pain or other symptoms, what are you still "training" my spine to do?  If the answer is "to correct subluxations," then consider changing chiropractors.

Anne, I hope this was helpful.

Dr. G