If you initially came in because you were in pain, and we successfully got you out of pain, why would you still need chiropractic care? This is a common question I hear from patients, and it’s an understandable one.
The answer is simple but powerful: less than 10% of your nervous system’s function is related to pain. That’s right, less than 10%.
More than 90% of your nervous system’s job is focused on supplying proper nerve signals to your organs, coordinating posture, balance, movement, and helping your body orient itself to gravity and the world around you. Living without pain is important, and something I absolutely want for you. It is not however my primary objective as a Doctor of Chiropractic.
My primary objective is to help you maintain a healthy, properly functioning nervous system so your body can exist in a true state of health. A well-functioning nervous system allows your body to better adapt to stress and change, both internal and external. That includes pain relief, but it also extends to immune function, organ function, stress resilience, and maintaining or improving your overall functional ability.
If you know me, you know I enjoy a good saying. One of my favorites is: “A fence at the top of the hill is better than an ambulance at the bottom.”
The Iceberg Analogy
Once acute pain improves and we establish a new baseline, it allows us to shift care toward addressing deeper, underlying health challenges. I often explain this using the iceberg analogy. Pain is the small portion of the iceberg visible above the water. Dysfunction is the massive portion hidden beneath the surface. Many people focus only on what they can see and feel, while ignoring what’s happening underneath. That’s a disservice to their long-term health.
When care isn’t consistent, we lose the opportunity to truly address those deeper issues. Over time, things tend to resurface, often leading to frustration and the feeling of “why does this keep coming back?” To be blunt, most people do a better job maintaining their vehicles than they do their own bodies. We understand the importance of oil changes, tire rotations, and routine maintenance to keep a car running well. Yet many people neglect healthy eating, regular exercise, and ongoing chiropractic care, the very things that keep their bodies on the road.
Because the nervous system controls and coordinates every other system in the human body, it’s often referred to as the master system. Chiropractic adjustments help restore and enhance the nervous system’s ability to do its job effectively. That’s why regular chiropractic care is so critical, not just for pain relief, but for overall health and optimal function.
So the next time you ask yourself, “Do I really need to get adjusted if I’m not in pain?”
The answer is yes.
Remember: less than 10% of your nervous system is about pain. Over 90% is about how you function. If you want to function at your fullest, maintain regular chiropractic care.
Dr. Joe Heinecke, DC
Mountain Valley Chiropractic
(970) 314-9244
© 2025 Mountain Valley Chiropractic. All rights reserved.
Check out these studies from PubMed supporting maintenance chiropractic care: