Chiropractic care is most often delivered across a treatment trial. Treatment trials frequently consist of multiple visits over a short duration, with reassessment for progress and response to care. Some patients may elect to schedule ongoing management (sometimes referred to as “maintenance care”) for chronic pain conditions. An initial visit will involve a thorough history and physical examination before beginning treatment. Follow-up visits include reassessing the patient’s chief concern with continued treatment based on the prior care plan or modification when clinically indicated. 

After an initial evaluation, a chiropractor may recommend that a patient begin a treatment trial of chiropractic care. A chiropractic care treatment trial frequency and duration may vary based on many factors. An initial treatment trial consists of a series of visits over a short period – often up to four to six visits over two to three weeks. Patients should expect to discuss their progress at each visit, with a comprehensive re-evaluation scheduled after the initial treatment trial. Additional care or modification of the treatment plan may be indicated based on this re-evaluation. 

It is important to note that treatment trials recommending extended treatments at high frequencies (for example, three to five treatments per week indefinitely) are not supported by evidence. Similarly, trials that do not include a plan for re-evaluation or continuous progress monitoring are also not shown to benefit patients. 

Maintenance care, or ongoing, regular chiropractic care after an initial treatment trial in the absence of acute pain or symptoms, may be appropriate for some patients and may help prevent reinjury or reaggravation of pain.

Most often, chiropractic care is delivered in person. However, the delivery of chiropractic care via telehealth has been reported. Telehealth chiropractic most often focuses on remote evaluation and providing education for self-management and exercise advice.