A wellness check for patients includes diet, immune system strength, exercise, and stress management in addition to spine and chiropractic health
As the statistics continue to pour in regarding the number of new infections and fatalities from COVID-19, it is becoming increasingly clear that this pandemic will not only affect how our society works as a whole, but also how we approach our health and wellness at an individual level. Chiropractic patients need more than straight adjustments, but additionally an overall wellness check for their physical, and subsequently mental health.
Your patients are likely now looking at their health and wellbeing in an entirely new light. Suddenly, wellness is not just as a good idea, but a matter of survival.
How have your patients changed how they manage their wellness routines in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and how can you support them during this difficult time?
Wellness check: immunity system
Your patients likely already know about the importance of wearing masks while out in public, thoroughly washing their hands, and using social distancing practices. However, they should also know about how they can further bolster their immune system.
While many people associate supplements such as vitamin C, elderberry or bone broth with flu season, they can also bolster the immune system against COVID-19.2 You should expect your patients to have questions for you about which supplements are best for bolstering the immune system throughout the year, rather than just during flu system.
Trying to do it all
We are all accustomed to having a distinct separation between our work and home life. While we are at the office, we are not distracted by kids, barking dogs, the TV, or even that pile of laundry that needs to be folded and put away. Unfortunately, that carefully-drawn line between work and home quickly becomes blurred with the current lockdown situation.
Trying to put in a full eight hours, while trying to home school kids, prepare family meals and keep on top of housework, quickly becomes impossible. As a result, your patients may find themselves run down, tired, and stressed. They may be looking for ways to release that stress, such as yoga or meditation, but something that only takes a small amount of time out of an already busy day.
Simple apps that provide reminders to take short breaks for mediation or simple yoga stretches are a great way for your patients to deal with stress, yet still have time for everything else that needs their attention.3
Sticking to an exercise routine
For many of your patients, having a regular exercise routine helps them reduce stress, clear their mind, and improve their overall mood, and is part of an overall wellness check. With social distancing and lockdown orders in place, they may worry that they will lose that positive motivation to deal with the current crisis.
As a result, your patients may be looking for innovative way to build their exercise into their current daily routine. This may involve such ideas as equipment for a home gym, changing the day or time of exercise so as to encounter fewer people, or exercising outdoors (providing social distancing is enforced). You can help by offering coaching services or building customized exercise routines for your patients.
Back pain from patients not used to working at home is also becoming an issue and a matter of expertise for DCs advising patients on how to set up a better chair and desk, and how to keep better posture.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unprecedented changes in the fabric of our society. It is vital for DCs to help support their patients with a general wellness check during this difficult time.
References
- Coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases (NCIRD), Division of Viral Diseases, Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Accessed 5/30/2020.
- The 15 best supplements to boost your immune system right now. Healthline. Accessed 5/30/2020.
- The DC’s guide to mindfulness and meditation. Chiropractic Economics. Accessed 5/30/2020.
