Does Chiropractic Care Only Help Bones and Joints?
A common question that we receive is does chiropractic care only help the bones and joints? Many people ask this question for two main reasons: they ask it because they suspect they have other imbalances that aren’t related to the bones and joints, or they haven’t yet learned the scope of all the processes in the body that the bones and joints can affect. The truth is, that the bones and joints of the body can affect absolutely every process that occurs in the body. So, even if it were true that chiropractic care only helps the bones and joints, it would have the potential to be a transformational form of wellness care. The truth is, however, that chiropractic is for much more than just the bones and joints. Chiropractic care is meant to address the entire neuromusculoskeletal system, which includes not just the bones and joints, but the muscles, tendons, and nervous system.
Chiropractic care for your muscular system.
Chiropractic care is extremely valuable for your muscular system! As previously mentioned, chiropractic care is for the neuromusculoskeletal system. That means it affects not just your bones and nervous system, but your muscular system as well.
Chiropractic care is different than other forms of care like physical therapy and massage therapy, which many people associate with the muscles right away. It’s easy to understand how this association works, after all, massages are often intended to relax muscles, and physical therapy is one of the first forms of care that is often prescribed after a muscular injury. However, chiropractic care has its place in treating the muscles.
If you’ve injured your muscles, chiropractic care can help. It doesn’t necessarily treat the muscle directly, although many chiropractors provide manual adjustments that can relax the muscles and tissues. Where chiropractic care shines in assisting injured or strained muscles is by helping to address the entire musculoskeletal system.
Expert adjustments provided by chiropractors can release tendons, joints, and ligaments that are pulling and straining muscles. By releasing these tight tendons, joints, and ligaments, the muscle can suddenly relax, and its natural healing abilities can set in. When a chiropractic adjustment occurs on the body, inflammation can decrease and circulation can increase, which can allow vital nutrients and oxygen to reach previously constricted and constrained muscles and surrounding tissues.
Chiropractic care for your nervous system.
Many people don’t realize that chiropractic care is a fantastic tonic for the nervous system! Chiropractic care can help the nervous system to relax, rebalance, and resetall which are imperative for having a well-functioning body with body systems that carry out their respective processes correctly.
When the nervous system is imbalanced, the body is imbalanced. The nervous system is responsible for nearly every process in your body, ranging from mobility and movement to digestion and perception. If the nervous system is under strain, has been injured, or is not functioning correctly, it’s impossible to miss it. The body will exhibit signs of dysfunction like pain: back pain, neck pain, numbness and tingling, sharp pain, shooting pain, and sciatic pain are just some of the examples of pain that can arise from nervous system dysfunction.
There are many other symptoms of nervous system dysfunction. Aside from neck pain and back pain, headaches, migraines, joint pain, sciatica, poor posture, fatigue, scoliosis, GERD, acid reflux, nausea, diarrhea, constipation, stiffness, immobility, cognitive challenges (confusion, forgetfulness), lack of energy, and mood instability can all be symptoms of (or related to) nervous system dysfunction.
So how can chiropractic care affect the nervous system? Chiropractic care can have a profound effect on the nervous system because the spinal cord is an integral part of the central nervous system (which connects to the entire body). Chiropractic care works directly on the spinal cord! One of the most important modalities within chiropractic is the adjustment of the spinal cord to align the bones and joints in a way that nerve energy can flow easily. Additionally, chiropractic adjustments can help to reduce nerve inflammation, restore nerves that have been severed or compressed, and improve the flow of nerve impulses across the spinal network of nerves.
If you are experiencing back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, arm or leg pain, knee pain, or any of the following poor posture, headaches, migraines, sciatica, fatigue, GERD, acid reflux, nausea, digestive distress, brain fog, stiffness, lack of energy or mood swings you may be experiencing nervous system dysfunction. Chiropractic care may help assist you in restoring balance to your body.
Chiropractic care for your bones and joints.
As we’ve previously explored, chiropractic care is best known as a therapeutic for the bones and joints of the body. While chiropractic care can affect so much more than just your skeletal system, it is known to treat the bones and joints for a reason. When expertly executed, chiropractic adjustments, traction, decompression, and other forms of treatment can work a wonder in reducing pain, improving posture, and increasing flexibility and mobility.
Chiropractic care is passive for those who are undergoing treatment unlike exercise or stretching exercises, Pilates, or yoga, chiropractic does not require participation or movement from patients. Instead, the chiropractor applies pressure with a knowledge of geometry and anatomy to the patient’s body (or pressure is applied through traction) and allows the bones and joints to align.
When the bones and joints of the body align, this helps the body to return to its ideal structure. When the body’s structure is aligned, it leads to correct posture and correct function of the entire neuromusculoskeletal system. This means that the nervous system can become more balanced and function smoother, the muscular system can become relaxed, and the bones and joints can align upright. This can lead to higher levels of energy and increased mental clarity, and some research suggests enhanced longevity.
Ready to book your appointment?
Are you ready to book your appointment for chiropractic care? At Advanced Spine and Posture, we provide personalized care that is based on your individual needs and any conditions or symptoms you may be experiencing. Whether you have been injured in the workplace, are simply dealing with years of wear and tear on your neuromusculoskeletal system, or want to address a specific condition, we are standing by to help. Book your first appointment today for a complete consultation to see how we can help you!