9 Reasons to See your Local Chiropractor

See how chiropractic care may help you.

Chiropractic care has long been a preventative and effective way towards bettering your health naturally. There are a variety of reasons to consider chiropractic care, but here’s our top ten reasons to consider a visit.

9. To Sleep Better

According to the Sleep Association, 50-70 million US adults suffer from a sleep disorder. The way your spine rests at 8 hours a night, or, on average 25 years of your life, deeply impacts your daily well-being. Those that seek a natural remedy have found benefits with chiropractic care. One-third of patients that visit a chiropractor claim to be able to sleep better. You may also be given tips to sleeping better whether that be your mattress or sleeping posture.

8. Better Digestion

Irritable bowel syndrome, Chron’s disease, and many other digestive issues affect 70 million people everyday according to the American Nutrition Association. When a patient receives chiropractic care, they are properly aligning their body to promote healthier digestion and lower inflammation that may be negatively affecting their body.

7. Alleviate Headaches

Since headaches stem from the neck, spinal manipulation can help treat headaches. With 90% of adults experiencing occasional headaches, many are unaware of the benefits of chiropractic work. In fact, chiropractic adjustments and care has been proven to improve acute and chronic neck pain. In 2011, a Journal of Manipulation and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) found that spine manipulation improved migraines and cervicogenic headaches.

6. Sciatica

The sciatic nerve runs from your lower back to your feet and when irritated can cause pain that travels throughout the entire leg. When there’s a misalignment in the vertebrae, the subluxation adds unwanted pressure to the nerve creating varying pain levels and frequencies. Disc herniations may also be caused by sciatica. Since spinal manipulation frees movement, it can help restore the misaligned to reduce nerve irritability chiropractors may advise additional treatment as well like, exercise, cold/heat compression, stretching and dieting suggestions.

5. Whiplash

Whiplash is most commonly associated with car accidents but can happen from bad sleep posture, playing sports, or just jamming out at a rock concert. Whiplash occurs when your neck is quickly pulled back then forward again. This movement can cause short-term neck troubles to long-term chronic pain if not treated. Severe whiplash can also affect your shoulders, arms, head or legs. Many that suffer from whiplash, experience headaches, difficulties with day-to-day movement, and numbness with tingling in their hands. Chiropractic care evaluates all aspects of the spine, including the neck, and determine if there are any subluxations causing distress to the spine. Once any subluxations are addressed, this helps to alleviate pain and promote healing now that the spine is correctly aligned. A chiropractor may also advise of cold/hot heat compression or therapeutic stretches to support the muscle surrounding the affected part of the spine.

4. Illness Prevention

While not a cure for flus or colds, chiropractic care has been proven to prevent illnesses when patients routinely get checked and adjusted. According to research done by the University of Virginia School of Medicine, the lymphatic system that transfers white blood cells from the tissue to the blood stream connects with the central nervous system. Since the central nervous system interacts with the spine, the immune system builds strength as does your health. If there are any subluxations, or vertebras out of place, they can cause interference with communication through the nervous system. Once adjusted, the communication is cleared and the channels for the lymphatic system is receiving the support it needs to encourage healing throughout the body. After care, patients are more likely to recover quicker, feel better longer, and less stressed.

3. Lower Blood Pressure

George Bakris MD, director of the University of Chicago hypertension center, found that regular chiropractic adjustments had the same effectiveness of two blood pressure medications. The ‘atlas vertebra’ located at the base of the skull, can be specially adjusted to facilitate a lower blood pressure. This also relieves any hypertension those with higher blood pressure experience stiffness and pain in the neck. Since the atlas lies at the top of the spine, it has a great impact on the rest of your body’s muscles and joints.

2. Flexibility

Spinal adjustments helps free the movement of joints and encourages a wider range of motion. This increases circulation and promotes flexibility within the musculoskeletal system. For this reason, chiropractic care is popular amongst athletes searching for a performance boost and strengthened endurance. In fact, every NFL football team have designated chiropractors for their team. Staying flexible benefits your health while preventing future injury.

1. Back & Neck Pain

Lower back pain is the most common cause of disability globally. 80% of the population will experience back pain in their lives and one-half of all employed Americans experience back pain every year. From day-to-day activities, to simply getting older, back and neck discomfort can be caused by a variety of reasons. Chiropractic care is a great option for those seeking a natural approach to alleviating pain and curing your back. When any subluxations are misaligned in the vertebrae, it penetrates it’s dysfunction throughout the muscles, joints and nervous system. If there are any signs of an injury to the spine that the chiropractor doesn’t feel comfortable adjusting, he will advise you and recommend potential next steps.

People’s lives continue to prosper thanks to the help of chiropractic care. In fact, about 30 million people annually seek the support of their local chiropractor. Compared to visiting a doctor, chiropractic care has proven to be a powerhouse to treatment and better well-being. Get a check-up every six months to ensure your body is aligned as it should and stay preventative with your health.

 

Sources:

https://www.acatoday.org/Patients/Health-Wellness-Information/Neck-Pain-and-Chiropractic

https://www.thejoint.com/minnesota/plymouth/plymouth-32002/get-your-blood-pressure-under-control-with-chiropr

https://www.chiroone.net/how-chiropractic-helps/cold-flu-and-virus-symptoms

https://www.nih.gov/news-events/nih-research-matters/lymphatic-vessels-discovered-central-nervous-system

http://www.sargentchiropractic.com/legpain.htm

http://www.schultechiropractic.com/cold-and-flu-prevention/

https://www.sleepassociation.org/about-sleep/sleep-statistics/

4 Daily Activities Causing Your Back Pain

Four daily activities causing your back pain.

 

Sitting in Your Car 

As Americans, we tend to spend a great chunk of time driving or riding in a vehicle. This can cause severe back pain. It’s essential to stay conscious of how you’re sitting while on long drives and making sure you’re not impacting the pressure on your spine. One preventative measure you can take is trying a lumbar support. Adjusting the steering wheel, seat placement and mirrors are also extremely beneficial to do every time you drive so you’re not overexerting yourself while you drive. Make sure you don’t have your wallet nor phone in your back pocket and that you take regular breaks to stretch your back.

Pro Tip: When arriving to your chiropractor, reverse your car in to a parking space so that you do not need to look behind you when leaving the chiropractor. Since your body has just been adjusted, be careful of quick movement involving the spine to not jump it out of alignment.

Working at your Desk

For 8 hours a day, many of us devote our bodies to sitting at a desk while we work away. There are many factors that can be causing your back pain while you work. Be sure your screen is eye-level so your neck is aligned properly and not straining up or down, out shifting the weight of your head. Your mouse must be in balance with your shoulders, as reaching or extending for the mouse can wear on your shoulders and neck.

What You’re Sleeping On

The best investment you can make for yourself is having a comfortable and spine supportive mattress and pillow. Every body is different which makes choosing the right mattress especially difficult. Decide which mattress is right for you by physically testing them out and checking it’s firmness is comfortable on your back. As for pillows, Dr. Brian Copple swears by the Makura pillow as the best pillow he’s used. Find the Makura pillow here.

How you’re sleeping also greatly impacts the stress on your back. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, as that rotation of your neck is the worst of any sleeping position. While sleeping on your back has long been rumored to be the best sleeping position, sleeping on your side turns out to be the best for your back. It keeps the spine in a consistent state of support., especially when you wedge a pillow between your knees.

How You’re Lifting

Whether it be in the gym lifting 30-pound weights or for a dime that’s dropped on the floor, it’s crucial to bend your knees and keep your back straight while going to lift. Keep your toes pointed in the same direction your lifting and do not twist at the waist while moving up. While these suggestions may sound minor, they can lead to major benefits to helping your back pain!

 

There are plenty of reasons you may be experiencing back or neck pain. The best solution is to visit your local chiropractor to see if they may be able to assist in a natural, ancient method. Chiropractic care has been proven to be an effective approach in relieving symptoms like headaches, insomnia, leg pain, and more. Stay mindful of your posture and movement throughout the day to maintain a healthier lifestyle.