Doctors of chiropractic diagnose, treat and help prevent conditions and disorders related to the back, neck, pelvis, extremity joints and the effect they have on the nervous system. For information about the education and training that chiropractors must complete to become licensed, please click here.
Every tissue and system in your body is controlled by your brain and spinal cord, which send information out to the body. The nerves that exit the spine travel not only to muscles and joints, but also control your heart, lungs, digestive system, immune system, reproductive organs, blood vessels, and many other organs and glands. It is the nerve supply to these body systems that keep them healthy and functioning properly. When your spine is not moving properly, these restrictions can lead to inflammation, which will affect the nerves and may ultimately lead to pain, decreased function, and poor health.
Chiropractors use manual adjustments to help restore movement to the restricted joints in your spine, which helps not only to decrease pain, but also to ensure that your nervous system can do its job!
Causes of Spinal Restrictions (Subluxations)
- Physical – From the moment of birth, which is the first spinal trauma we are exposed to, our bodies undergo many stresses, strains, and injuries throughout our lives. Whether minor strains, chronic poor posture and ergonomics, or major injuries, our spines and nervous sytstems are affected. Without correcting poor movement patterns, posture, and work conditions, the spine will continue to compensate for the physical strains placed on it.
- Chemical – Pain and poor cellular function often stem from a toxic cellular environment, and this is impacted by what we put into our bodies! Poor nutrition, as well as other chemical toxins from the air, household products, medications, and many other sources can cause inflammation in our tissues. This inflammation triggers neurological changes that can often lead to chronic back pain, neck pain, or headaches.
- Emotional – We all experience emotional stress and the effect that it has on the body. It is not just in your head–emotions like anger, sadness, and depression actually do affect the way that your body functions through the nervous system. Our mood and outlook on life are intimately connected to our physical well-being, and emotional stress can lead to physical pain, tight muscles, and poor spinal mechanics.
These three causes of spinal restrictions are often inter-related. It is never enough to treat a physical injury without addressing the potential contribution of chemical and emotional stressors. This is why chiropractors often incorporate nutrition into their treatments, and often work with their patients to decrease stress and work through emotional issues.