How long does treatment take?

Pain Treatment Q&A

How long does
treatment take?

It varies by individual condition

Treatment duration varies greatly depending on condition severity, how long it’s been chronic, age, and lifestyle. Here are typical ranges.

Treatment timeline illustration

Quick Answer

Typical treatment duration:

  • Acute pain (less than 3 months): 4-8 weeks
  • Subacute pain (3-6 months): 8-12 weeks
  • Chronic pain (more than 6 months): 12 weeks or longer

✅ Complete all 3 stages for no recurrence
Downshift (calm nerves) → Activate (restore function) → Integrate (restore to daily life). Don’t stop when pain reduces – continue until function is fully restored.

Typical Duration by Condition

Reference ranges only – actual duration varies by individual

Condition Mild Moderate Severe/Chronic
Cervical Disc 4-6 weeks 6-10 weeks 10-16 weeks
Frozen Shoulder 8-12 weeks 12-16 weeks 16-24 weeks
Rotator Cuff 4-8 weeks 8-12 weeks 12-16 weeks
Lumbar Disc 4-6 weeks 6-10 weeks 10-16 weeks
Tennis/Golfer’s Elbow 4-6 weeks 6-10 weeks 10-16 weeks
Carpal Tunnel 4-8 weeks 8-12 weeks 12-16 weeks
Plantar Fasciitis 4-6 weeks 6-10 weeks 10-16 weeks

⚠️ These are reference ranges only
Actual duration varies by individual condition, age, lifestyle, compliance with treatment plan, and presence of other conditions.

Factors That Affect Treatment Duration

These factors can lengthen or shorten your treatment:

Factors That Speed Recovery ✅

  • Acute pain (less than 3 months since onset)
  • Good overall health and fitness
  • Active participation in treatment (PT, home exercises)
  • Fixed lifestyle patterns causing pain
  • Sufficient sleep and rest
  • Good nutrition and hydration
  • Positive mindset and stress management

Factors That Slow Recovery ❌

  • Chronic pain (more than 6 months)
  • Multiple pain areas
  • Other health conditions (diabetes, obesity, etc.)
  • Continued lifestyle patterns causing pain
  • Stress, anxiety, depression
  • Smoking, excessive alcohol
  • Lack of sleep, poor diet
  • Expecting passive treatment only

→ You can control many of these factors
Actively participating in treatment and improving lifestyle can significantly shorten treatment duration.

Typical Treatment Progression

Here’s how treatment typically progresses:

  1. Weeks 1-2: Downshift Stage
    Reduce neural sensitivity and tissue overload. Pain can reduce by 30-50%. Some people may experience temporary increased soreness.

    Goal: Make daily life manageable

  2. Weeks 3-6: Activate Stage
    Wake up weakened muscles and restore function. Pain reduces by 50-70%, can perform daily activities more comfortably.

    Goal: Restore tissue function

  3. Weeks 7-12: Integrate Stage
    Correct movements and restore to daily life. Pain reduces by 70-90%, can resume most activities. Learn prevention strategies.

    Goal: Return to daily life without recurrence

  4. Weeks 12+: Maintenance Stage
    Continue home exercises and regular check-ups. Maintain recovered state. Early detection if early signs of recurrence appear.

    Goal: Prevent recurrence

⚠️ Don’t stop treatment when pain reduces
Just because pain reduces doesn’t mean treatment is complete. You need to complete Activate and Integrate stages to prevent recurrence.

Related Questions

Q. Can I shorten treatment duration?

You can shorten duration by:

  • Actively participating in PT and home exercises
  • Fixing lifestyle patterns causing pain
  • Getting sufficient sleep and rest
  • Following treatment plan consistently
  • Managing stress

However, trying to rush recovery can backfire. Overloading tissues before they’re fully recovered can cause re-injury and actually lengthen treatment duration.

→ Trust the process and follow your therapist’s guidance.

Q. How often do I need to visit?

Visit frequency varies by stage and condition:

  • Downshift stage: Usually 1-2 times per week (HD + PT)
  • Activate stage: Usually 2-3 times per week (PT focused)
  • Integrate stage: Usually 1-2 times per week (Movement correction, check-ups)

→ Your therapist will recommend optimal visit frequency based on your condition and progress.

Q. It’s been 2 weeks but I don’t feel much improvement. Is something wrong?

Recovery takes time. Especially for chronic pain (more than 3-6 months), meaningful improvement may take 4-6 weeks or longer.

However, if you meet these criteria, discuss with your therapist:

  • Pain is getting worse rather than improving
  • New symptoms appearing
  • No improvement at all after 4 weeks
  • Daily life remains impossible

→ Trust the process initially, but communicate regularly with your therapist about progress.

Q. Do I need to keep getting treatment after recovery?

Once you complete all 3 stages and learn home exercises, you don’t need to keep getting treatment. However, occasional check-ups are recommended:

  • If early signs of recurrence appear
  • When starting new activities or sports
  • Regular check-ups every 3-6 months

→ The goal is to teach you self-maintenance, not dependency on treatment.

Treatment progression at Yonsei Shinmyung

We guide you with clear milestones at each stage.

  1. Initial Assessment — Assess condition and estimate treatment duration
  2. Downshift Stage — Reduce pain and make daily life manageable
  3. Activate Stage — Restore muscle function and improve movement
  4. Integrate Stage — Restore to daily life and teach prevention
  5. Regular Progress Checks — Assess improvement and adjust plan
  6. Long-term Follow-up — Prevent recurrence and maintain

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Recovery takes time
but results are worth it

We’ll guide you with clear milestones at each stage.

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