The patient thinks the chiropractor has fixed him. Because of the history of minor resolving pain and the understanding that dysfunction usually has a long asymptomatic period, one may assume that the biomechanical dysfunction will have been present for a long time. Structural changes will have occurred. Pain may abate because the partial improvement in biomechanics may relieve some stresses, and the patient will subconsciously avoid activities that previously aggravated the condition. Degeneration and other undesirable consequences will continue.
Painful relapse is highly probable.
Allowing patients to return when symptoms return is inadequate for two main reasons. Patients do not have the ability or understanding to evaluate their condition when in the asymptomatic phase. With dysfunction , remaining degeneration and undesirable consequences will continue. Although exercises may reduce or prevent pain, they probably will not correct the underlying dysfunction. Exercise for the spine produces gross movements involving a chain of joints.