Did you know that over 70 million adults in the United States deal with some version of chronic pain?  It is true and the number 2 chronic pain is low back pain.  

Many people are finding the benefits of natural ways to deal with health issues and chiropractic is a great option for dealing with pain though it is not originally what chiropractic was founded on.  The father of chiropractic administered his first adjustment for a patient that had hearing issues not pain.  Over the years because of the great success of chiropractic and pain relief, it has become the main reason most patients search for services of a chiropractor.

9 beneficial reasons to see a chiropractor:

1. They effect the muscle spindles:

Every time an adjustment is administered, the muscle spindles that are attached to the adjoining muscle groups of the joint send signals to the brain and then back through the body.  This leads to better communication leading to better executive function, mood, movement, sleep, digestion, organs and glands. This leads to better health.

2. Enhances sports performance:

When adjustments are administered by a trained professional, it increases joint movement, decreases restriction and reduces pain.  Better movement means less stress on the body leading to decreased injuries and improved performance.  

3. Decreases risk of arthritis:

When your body moves properly, the joints are less strained and lubricated properly for movement.  Stress on joints is when arthritis occurs.  This is why chiropractic treatments help so many people with arthritis.

4. Helps nerves connect and communicate better:

When there is less stress on the nerves they synapse better and more efficiently.  Nerves that are irritated if the joint is applying pressure or straining the area will interfere with the chemical and physical reaction of the nerve.  When there is stress in the body, it becomes inflamed and sends off cortisol.  Chiropractic adjustments allow the joints to take strain off the area and allow the nerve to synapse properly.  It also will decrease cortisol once the brain figures out that the stress is no longer there.  

5. Chiropractic helps your immune:

In a study performed by Dr. Ronald Pero, Ph.D, (chief of cancer prevention at New York's Preventive Medicine Institute and Professional Medicine at New York University). He analyzed the immune system of people under chiropractic care compared to those without care.  He also researched individuals with cancer and other serious illnesses.   

It was a 3 year study of 107 patients under chiropractic care for 5 years or more.  What he found was patients that were involved with chiropractic treatment have a 200% stronger immune than those without chiropractic care.  They also had 400% stronger immune than people who had cancer and other serious diseases.  

6. Improves organ, gland and system functions:

In the early 1920's Dr. Henry Winsor MD performed 75 human autopsies of humans and 22 of cats.  What he wanted to see was the correlation of diseased organs and the nerves and vertebrae connected to them. 

What he found was almost a 100% correlation of "minor curvatures" of the spine and the internal organs connected to those areas.  

Later in 1968, a x-ray study showed that many organs that were diseased (gallbladder, stomach, pancreas, liver, intestines etc.) all had "displacements" of the spinal column associated with innervation of those organs. 

7. Improves Executive Function:

Executive function happens in the Pre-frontal Cortex of the brain.  When administering an adjustment, nerve impulses shoot from the muscle called "muscle spindles' and shoot back up to the brain's pre-frontal cortex.  It keeps this area stimulated and functioning properly.  As you can see above,  this includes thinking, planning, self-monitoring, self control, memory, time management, mood and organization.  

Since the Pre-frontal cortex communicates with the remainder of the brain, it is important to make sure this area is working properly.  

8. Better Sleep leads to better healing and adaptability:

Chiropractic helps sleep in different ways.  

1. When your neck is not aligned properly, your jaw and the muscles connected to it tighten.  It can cause increased snoring, decreased oxygen and prevent a deep sleep.  

When getting an adjustment from a chiropractor, it will relieve the stress on the neck and jaw leading to a better night sleep.  

2. Every time you are adjusted, it affects cortisol levels.  Cortisol happens whenever your brain feels threatened.  This can be any type of stress. Emotional (job, family, financial), Chemical (toxins) or physical (injury, repetitive stress etc.). 

If stress levels are high, cortisol levels are high.  Relieving this stress as much as possible will help you sleep.  If you do not sleep 7+ hours per night, your body is not healing and adapting at its highest level leading to illness and disease.  

9. Great for pregnant moms and baby (prenatal care):

Some doctors do the Webster Technique which aligns the pelvis and sacrum and massages the round ligament which allows the uterus to be as relaxed as possible.  

When these adjustments are made it allows the baby to present in proper position and takes pressure off the low back, pelvis and body.  If a baby is in breech position, this technique can help them turn into proper birth position. 

Benefits of the Webster Technique: 

The main aim of the technique is to remove the subluxations that cause the baby not to move. Here are some of the benefits:

• Helps babies turn to head down position
• Reduced C-Sections
• Easier delivery
• Faster recovery after birth

Sometimes joints that are not aligned properly will cause no symptoms until the joint and area can not take any additional stress.  That is why making sure your spine is moving properly and understanding that body work is necessary can help keep pain, discomfort and problems from showing up.  

Have you had your spine checked yet? Dr. Amie Gregory, DC, CCEP in San Francisco Mission District can not only get you out of pain but keep you healthy.  Contact us today!

References: Pero R. “Medical Researcher Excited By CBSRF Project Results.” The Chiropractic Journal, August 1989; 32.

Winsor, H. 1921. The prevalence of minor curvatures and deformities of the spine in man, also in other vertebrates. The Medical Times 49 (Oct.): 237-39.

Winsor, H. 1921. The evidence of the association, in dissected cadavers, of visceral disease with vertebrae deformities of the same sympathetic segments: Sympathetic segmental disturbances. The Medical Times 49 (Nov): 267-71.

Burchett, G.D. 1968. Segmental spinal osteophytosis in visceral disease. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association 67(6):675.

https://www.healthline.com/health/pregnancy/chiropractor-while-pregnant#Next-steps