One of the most common questions we hear. The honest answer depends on what you're working with — here's how to think about it.
It's the question we get asked most often, usually in the first ten minutes of a consultation.
The honest answer is: it depends. But that's not a dodge. The shape of care genuinely varies depending on what's going on, how long it's been there, and what the body needs to do to shift it. Here's how we think about it.
Two people can walk in with what looks like the same problem and need very different things. Someone who's had lower back tightness for three weeks after moving house is in a different position to someone who's had it for seven years and has been managing it with pain relief. The symptom looks similar. What's underneath it isn't.
Duration matters. Chronicity matters. How the body has been compensating matters. These are the things the examination is designed to understand, and they're what shapes the care plan we put together at visit two.
Relief phase — this is where most people start, and where most people stop. The aim is to reduce the immediate load and start addressing the pattern that's driving the symptom. For most people this phase runs across the first four to six weeks, typically with a higher visit frequency. This is also where most people notice the most change.
Correction phase — this is where the structural and functional work consolidates. The body is adapting to a new pattern, and that takes time and consistency. Visit frequency usually drops here. Reviews happen at regular intervals so we can track what's changing and adjust the plan. This phase typically runs across the first three months of care, though it varies.
Wellness phase — frequency drops again. The focus shifts to holding the progress and building resilience rather than actively correcting. For some people this looks like a visit every few weeks. For others it's monthly. It's determined by what the body needs, not by a formula.
Lifestyle care — Care with a purpose, not a check-in when something hurts. The focus moves to performance and recovery: how well your body meets what you ask of it. We set your visit frequency against your life's demands and your goals, then adjust as those change. A parent in a heavy season at home and a runner building toward a half marathon need different rhythms. Frequency rises when the load rises and eases when life settles. Regular reviews keep the plan matched to where you are now.
At visit two, once we've reviewed your examination and any imaging, we'll give you a clear picture of what we found and what a realistic plan looks like. We'll tell you what phase we're starting in, roughly how long we'd expect each phase to take based on what we've seen, and what the review points are.
We won't give you an indefinite number of sessions and expect you to trust us. We'll give you a plan with a rationale, and we'll review it regularly. If something isn't working, we adjust. If you've reached your goals, we say so.
When people ask how long care takes, they're usually asking something slightly different. They want to know whether this is worth starting. Whether it's going to be a commitment that goes on forever. Whether they're going to be locked into something they can't get out of.
The answer to those questions is: no. Care at Wild isn't open-ended by design. It has phases, it has reviews, and it has a point where the active work is done. What you choose to do after that is up to you.
The investment is real. So is the reasoning behind it. And you'll know what both look like before you commit to anything.
Wild Chiropractic is a nervous system-led chiropractic practice in Shenton Park, Perth.
