When you think of chiropractic care, what comes to mind? Many people believe that chiropractic care is only used to treat musculoskeletal pain and injuries such as backaches, neck pain, slipped discs, and whiplash injuries. However, chiropractors can treat far more issues than just those related to the musculoskeletal system. As chiropractic treatments work to improve the general health and wellbeing of patients, this month’s blog will dive into the conditions that you may not have known that chiropractic care can treat!
1) Stress and Anxiety
Stress and anxiety stem from three common sources: your body, your emotions, and your environment. Body stress comes from disease processes, organ malfunction, poor nutrition, poor sleep, and physical injury. Emotional stress varies widely and can be due to a variety of factors such as a traumatic experience or event, work, family circumstances, etc. Environmental stress can include anything from noise to weather, time pressure, and performance. As there are several factors that can lead to stress and anxiety, chiropractic care works by helping the body manage and process stress in a healthier way. Chiropractors focus mainly on the spine, which is the root of the nervous system. As nerve impulses travel between the brain and the rest of the body, chiropractic care can reduce spinal nerve irritation, as well as improve blood circulation. This helps the body attain balanced levels in terms of your heart rate, blood volume, and blood pressure, all of which increase from stress and anxiety. Additionally, chiropractors can release muscle tension which decreases nerve irritation and uneven pressures on the body’s structure. Doing so helps the body’s spinal column return to a balanced, relaxed state. Lastly, highly-training chiropractors can suggest relaxation techniques, as well as discuss posture and environmental changes to support you in recovering from chronic stress and anxiety.
2) Migraines and Tension Headaches
Did you know that migraines and headaches impact over 2.7 million Canadians? From moderate to severely intense headaches, head pain can be an occasional occurrence or a persistent issue. Although painkillers work as a quick relief to migraines and headaches, chiropractic care is a safer and healthier alternative in terms of long-term effects. Spinal manipulation, one of the main treatments performed by chiropractors, is very effective in treating tension headaches, as well as headaches that begin in the neck. With most headaches involving muscle tension in the neck that is often caused by spending hours in the same position or posture, chiropractic adjustments work to improve spinal function, along with alleviating stress on the nervous system. By reducing joint irritation and tension in the upper back, chiropractic care is a much safer option when it comes to alleviating migraines and headaches. Not to mention, chiropractors can offer expert advice regarding posture, ergonomics, exercises, and techniques that will support you in reducing your overall head pain.
3) Weakened Immune Systems
Your nervous system, endocrine system, and immune system are all linked, in which neural dysfunctions that occur from spinal misalignments can cause significant stress to the body. Subluxation refers to misalignments of the spine that lead to compression and irritation of nerve pathways which impact the body’s organs. These stress conditions result in altered measures of immune function, as well as increase your susceptibility to a variety of conditions and diseases. Chiropractic adjustments help reduce the level of stress in the nervous system, which supports its coordinated responses and boosts the overall function of your immune system.
4) High Blood Pressure
Physical therapy that involves spinal adjustments and massage therapy supports blood flow, which helps your body naturally adjust its blood pressure. Additionally, through its treatment in helping patients relax and relieve stress, chiropractic care works wonders in balancing your blood pressure as a whole.
5) Flexibility
The effects of aging, along with a variety of health conditions can cause wear and tear on both your flexibility and your range of motion. This loss of movement can result in an injury or degenerative condition that causes pain, swelling, and stiffness. You may have heard the term “use it or lose it”, in which it’s important to exercise regularly and to keep your body and muscles moving to ensure you maintain your body’s ability to move and function properly. If you find that your ability to move is starting to decrease, chiropractic care is an effective form of treatment that helps increase flexibility and range of motion. By using spine adjustments and manipulations to other parts of the body to realign your joints and bones, chiropractors can support you in restoring your range of motion, along with improving your flexibility, coordination, and balance. Regular chiropractic care can significantly reduce or eliminate the pain you may be experiencing in your joints or back, which will also help you return to your regular day-to-day activities. Additionally, as chiropractors are experts in the musculoskeletal system, they can provide you with customized exercises that can be done at home to increase your strength and flexibility.
6) Fibromyalgia
Fibromyalgia is a condition that causes widespread pain and sensitivity throughout the entire body. It often causes sleeping problems, fatigue, as well as emotional and mental distress. As chiropractors are highly trained as neuromusculoskeletal specialists, their chiropractic adjustments can work to improve a fibromyalgia patient’s nervous system, giving them a better chance of recovery. By treating pressure points, back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, headaches, and pain from musculoskeletal injuries, chiropractors can help reduce a patient’s overall pain through the use of spinal adjustments. Chiropractors can also increase the mobility between spinal vertebrae, which increases a patient’s range of motion and decrease the overall pain they may be experiencing.
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As chiropractor care is one of our primary services here at LiveWell, we hope this blog helps you understand the additional health benefits of chiropractic care, along with the ways in which it can boost your overall health and wellbeing. If you’re experiencing musculoskeletal pain or simply need a boost in your health and wellness, check out our chiropractic care services to learn how our team of chiropractors can help you improve your overall lifestyle. Contact us today to book an appointment at our Lancaster, Waterloo, Driftwood, or Baden locations.
Want more lifestyle advice on how to improve your health and wellness? Contact our LiveWell Health and Physiotherapy Kitchener (Lancaster and Driftwood), Baden, or Waterloo teams for more information and to book your next appointment. You can also reach out to us by email or social media, and one of our team members will be more than happy to answer any of your questions! All of our practitioners have tips and expert guidance to help improve your health and overall quality of your life.