Taking advantage of the services offered by your local chiropractor -- an initial assessment, a series of adjustments and some home-care tips -- can help you through the physical issue that's been causing you pain and increase your quality of life. Once you've visited the chiropractor for your adjustment, it's ideal to take care of yourself in the hours that follow. Failing to do so puts you at risk of negating some of the chiropractor's efforts, which won't be conducive to the healing process. Here are three things to avoid doing once you leave the chiropractic clinic.

Put Yourself In A High-Stress Situation

Whether it's rushing back to work to undertake a project on a deadline or driving across the city at rush hour, either scenario has a strong chance of increasing your overall level of stress. Unfortunately, this emotion can be detrimental to your physical health and can undo some of the chiropractor's progress. Emotional stress can have a physical connection -- your muscles can tighten, for example. If your back muscles tighten after a chiropractic adjustment, there's a chance that they'll be able to pull your spine out of its correct position, which the chiropractor has just worked hard to achieve. After each appointment, it's best to try to keep yourself out of high-stress situations.

Eat Or Drink Caffeinated Products

If consuming caffeine is part of your daily routine, it can be tempting to grab a cup of coffee on the way home from your chiropractic appointment. Doing so, however, isn't ideal because it can contribute to back pain. Caffeine stresses your adrenals, which are found in your lower back. It's common to experience pain in this region as a result. When you develop this pain after a chiropractic adjustment, you won't be able to accurately assess whether the treatment improved your previous pain. Monitoring your symptoms is important, and if you give yourself a back ache right after your chiropractor has fixed your sore back, you aren't doing your treatment any favors.

Push Yourself To Work Out Vigorously

It's admirable that you might want to head to the gym after your chiropractic adjustment, but intense physical exercise puts you at risk of negating the chiropractor's work. While some types of moderate exercise, such as swimming and walking, can be beneficial after a chiropractic session, vigorous activities are detrimental. Stay away from anything that has a high impact, such as jogging, and avoid exercises that require lots of twisting unless your chiropractor specifically recommends them.

To learn more, contact a company like University Physical Medicine. 

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