A chiropractor is known for their musculoskeletal manipulation techniques. However, they also use various other treatments like ice and heat therapy, kinesio taping, bracing, acupuncture and more to help their patients.
Many athletes like Michael Jordan, Tom Brady and Usain Bolt have a chiropractor on their team to ensure they maximize their performance. But, did you know chiropractic is not only for back pain?
It Can Relieve Pain
If you suffer from pain from a spinal injury or a chronic condition, chiropractic therapy may help. Using movement-based techniques, chiropractors manipulate muscles, cartilages, ligaments, tendons, and joints to improve their function and reduce nerve sensitivity.
Regular treatments can also alleviate depression and anxiety. These changes in your nervous system can help you cope with everyday stressors and boost energy levels.
Other benefits of chiropractic care include improved digestion and gastrointestinal health. Spine misalignments can interfere with nerve signals to the stomach, causing problems like acid reflux or bloating.
In addition, regular treatments can help you avoid opiate prescriptions. A 2020 study found that adults who visited a chiropractor were less likely to fill opioid pain relievers than those who saw just their doctor. This is due to the positive changes in nerve functioning that occur from chiropractic treatments.
It Can Make You Stronger
The muscles of your body need strong nerve signals to grow stronger. Chiropractic adjustments allow the brain to send those signals properly, which helps build muscle.
When your spinal cord is functioning correctly, it transmits those signals from the brain throughout the entire body. Those signals are what control every function and movement in the human body.
Regular adjustments reduce stress, improve posture and sleep quality, and can even help prevent injuries. The end result is a healthier, happier life with less trips to the medicine cabinet for over-the-counter relief!
It Can Help You Catch Less Colds
If you want to avoid a cold and flu this season, your best defense is a strong immune system. This can be achieved by getting enough sleep, eating healthy and drinking water. It can also be accomplished by visiting your chiropractor for regular adjustments.
When the brain wants to take action (such as releasing antibodies, discharging hormones or increasing production of white blood cells), it sends a message via the nervous system which is primarily housed in the spinal cord. When the spine is misaligned, this causes interference in this pathway and the message is delayed or distorted.
A chiropractic adjustment improves joint and spinal health, but it also increases lymphatic flow. This helps the body to clear away waste and reduce infection. Including chiropractic care as part of your routine can make you less susceptible to germs and sickness this winter.
It Can Help You Sleep Better
About 50 to 70 million people in America have some kind of sleep disorder, making it hard for them to fall and stay asleep. This can cause daytime fatigue and a lack of clarity of thought, among other problems.
Chiropractic care can help you get better sleep by easing tension and helping you relax. It can also improve your posture and make it easier to breathe, which can ease the symptoms of sleep apnea.
Another benefit of chiropractic is that it can reduce inflammation in the body, which can help with sleeping issues. This can also help you feel more energetic throughout the day and make it easier to fall asleep at night. If you hear a cracking sound while getting adjusted, this is normal and harmless—it’s caused by gas releasing from the joints. It’s similar to hearing your knuckles crack when you bend them.
It Can Help You Lose Weight
Chiropractic is often associated with musculoskeletal health, but it can also help you lose weight. One of the ways it does this is by reducing stress levels, which can cause your body to store fat and calories instead of burning them. It can also help you burn more calories by improving your metabolism.
Another way that chiropractic can help you lose weight is by ensuring that your nervous system works optimally. When your spine is misaligned, it can create a neurological traffic jam that makes it harder for your brain to communicate with the rest of your body. This can make it more difficult to lose weight.
Finally, chiropractic treatments can also help you improve your digestion. This can help you digest foods better and get rid of any toxins that are slowing down your metabolism, echoed by professionals like the Grand Rapids chiropractors.
It Can Help You Fight Disease
Chiropractic care focuses on the spinal cord, which controls your nervous system. When your spinal nerves are damaged or misaligned, they interfere with the brain’s ability to send signals to other parts of your body, increasing the risk of illness and injury. Spinal alignment removes these blockages and restores normal communication between the immune and nervous systems.
Research has shown that a spinal adjustment can improve a key immune function called the respiratory burst rate, which boosts antibodies that fight infection and disease. These antibodies help your body recover from illnesses and return to a healthy state faster.
Chiropractic treatment also helps your digestive system work better by reducing inflammation and improving nerve function, which allows your body to absorb nutrients more efficiently and eliminate toxins faster. This helps you feel healthier and stronger, allowing you to fight disease more effectively.
It Can Help You Develop Healthy Habits
When spinal misalignments are corrected through chiropractic adjustments, it allows your brain and body to communicate more easily. This makes it easier to develop healthy habits that will help you reach your health goals in the long run.
Regular exercise is one of the most important things you can do for your health, but it can also be a source of pain and discomfort. If you’re having trouble with your back or other muscles, chiropractic care can make it easier to get the workout you need without causing any pain or injury.
Chiropractic adjustment has been shown to help with a number of issues, including colic, earaches, sinus congestion, asthma, constipation and even helps drain the lungs and bronchial tubes. It’s a great way to boost your immune system and get your body ready for physical activity, and is done well by experts who are similar to the Grand Rapids chiropractors.
It Can Help You Stay Active
Whether your goal is to run a marathon, score a touchdown in football, or just stay healthy, regular exercise is key. But often, pain or discomfort prevents people from exercising as much as they should.
Fortunately, chiropractic treatment can help you avoid exercise-related injuries and keep you on track with your fitness goals. Chiropractic can improve your spinal health and overall musculoskeletal function through spinal manipulation, soft tissue therapy, joint bracing, and kinesio taping.
By improving the way your brain and spinal cord communicate, chiropractic can reduce the stress on the nervous system and improve the speed of message delivery. This can help you feel more energy and be more active.
It Can Help You Stay Healthy
Chiropractic is a form of alternative medicine that is based on the principle that the spine and nervous system are connected. It also believes that the body has powerful self-healing abilities. By restoring proper alignment to the spine through manual adjustments, chiropractors remove interference in your nervous system and allow your body to function at its highest level.
The nerves in your spinal cord control everything from digestion to immunity. Even the slightest misalignment can interfere with this process and lead to a variety of health issues. Regular visits to a chiropractor help eliminate these interferences and keep your body functioning properly.
It’s no secret that your mental health affects your physical health, so taking care of both is the best way to stay healthy. Chiropractic therapy can improve your mood, strengthen your immune system, and prevent health problems from developing.
It Can Help You Feel Better
Chiropractic adjustments help improve the function of your spine and central nervous system. This helps to regulate your mood and makes it easier for you to feel happier.
Many people who have spinal problems use prescription drugs to manage pain, but this can be dangerous and addictive. Regular visits to a chiropractor can reduce the need for these drugs and allow you to live a healthy life without them.
Besides spinal manipulation, a chiropractor can also perform soft tissue therapy, physical modalities, kinesio taping, exercise and stretches, and diet and weight loss counseling. They can even provide joint bracing and hot or cold treatments for sprained joints and muscles. They are trained to find a balance between the mind and body so you can feel better in all aspects of your life. This includes your work, family, and personal life.
