Imagine you are on an adventurous Sunday drive, in the middle of nowhere, when all of a sudden you come to a fork in the road.
A sign by the left-hand fork reads: “Frequent bits of rough road ahead, increasing in frequency and difficulty. VERY difficult travel towards the end. Estimated cost of vehicle repairs: $200-$500 for each quick fix, until patching is no longer possible.”
The right fork also has a sign. It reads: “Challenging road at the beginning, followed by occasional minor bits of rough road to the end. Estimated cost of vehicle repairs: $2000-$5000.”
Assuming they both end up in the same place, which fork would you choose?
As a chiropractor, it has been my experience that many people go through the same decision-making process with their choice of spinal care. The easy, little-money-up-front option may be appealing, but is it ultimately the best choice?
The fact is, most back and neck pain is the direct result of years of neglect: disuse, misuse, abuse and no use. To undo these years of damage to the spine requires a lengthy commitment of hard work and, yes, money. Patients who wait for the pain to go away or choose quick “patch jobs” seldom get lasting relief. Ignoring or patching a spinal problem means the problem remains uncorrected, and these patients discover that as time goes by, their pain gets worse, lasts longer and occurs more frequently. Chronic pain and disability can result.
Which fork in the road is right for you? Only you can decide.
Choose wisely.