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Understanding the science behind chiropractic treatment.

September 3, 2020

“Labelled an alternative health care option by many, or even ‘pseudoscience’ by some, chiropractic often exists on the fringe of healthcare. It is little understood, frequently criticised, and continues to survive by virtue of the overwhelmingly positive results chiropractic patients experience first-hand all over the world.” -Dr. Heidi Haavik, The Reality Check: A quest to understand chiropractic from the inside out

Dr. Heidi Haavik is on the forefront of the movement to bring greater public understanding to chiropractic through some of the first well designed studies of its kind--bringing new depth to the field.

For those who have experienced chiropractic themselves, the results of her studies aren’t surprising, but those who have looked down on the practice as unscientific are in for a reality check. Far beyond helping you move correctly, we’re beginning to understand the profound effects of chiropractic adjustments on the brain and central nervous system

The vertebral subluxation

Before looking at the big picture of chiropractic, let’s take a look at the “problem” chiropractors fix with adjustments: the vertebral subluxation. A vertebral subluxation is the impairment of peak nervous system functioning caused by stress--whether it be physical, chemical, or psychological stress.

A vertebral subluxation usually occurs when the small muscles that attach to each vertebrae become tight from overuse, poor posture, and/or injury, making the spine feel “misaligned”--though it’s not actually the case. Some chiropractors refer to the vertebral subluxation as joint dysfunction or joint restriction.

Vertebral subluxations are usually tender to the touch and can cause pain with certain movements--though they aren’t always painful. For people who don’t experience pain with vertebral subluxations, it might seem unnecessary to get adjustments to “fix” them, but the effects of chiropractic adjustments go deeper than you might think.

Chiropractic and the mind-body connection

Strengthening the mind-body connection is at the heart of chiropractic.

The brain itself is constantly changing and adjusting to its environment--a process called neural plasticity; and the spine houses the body’s information highway--the spinal cord.  Any muscular, joint, or bone dysfunction along the spine changes how the brain perceives and responds to all other sensory information.

Not all of these neural changes are immediately noticeable. For many people, the impact of uncorrected vertebral subluxations doesn’t pass the threshold from uncomfortable to unbearable; it’s often a case of thinking your body and brain are functioning normally, when in fact they can be much improved with chiropractic care. It lies beneath the surface of consciousness until things get so bad they can’t be ignored. 

It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back: there were already 999 straws on your back you didn’t feel, until that last one pushed you over the edge.

Small deviations from optimal functioning can turn into large, life-altering, pain-inducing problems over time that change the way your entire body moves and operates. Staying on top of these deviations with regular chiropractic adjustments may not feel like it changes your world, but there’s no reason to let them compound enough that they would change your world; proactive care can  keep you moving correctly and prevent you from ever reaching that point.

This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what research is revealing about the impact of chiropractic care on the brain, central nervous system, and overall well being. I will explain more about fine tuning the mind-body connection as part of a healthy lifestyle in our next article in this series about chiropractic science!

Understanding the science behind chiropractic treatment.

September 3, 2020

“Labelled an alternative health care option by many, or even ‘pseudoscience’ by some, chiropractic often exists on the fringe of healthcare. It is little understood, frequently criticised, and continues to survive by virtue of the overwhelmingly positive results chiropractic patients experience first-hand all over the world.” -Dr. Heidi Haavik, The Reality Check: A quest to understand chiropractic from the inside out

Dr. Heidi Haavik is on the forefront of the movement to bring greater public understanding to chiropractic through some of the first well designed studies of its kind--bringing new depth to the field.

For those who have experienced chiropractic themselves, the results of her studies aren’t surprising, but those who have looked down on the practice as unscientific are in for a reality check. Far beyond helping you move correctly, we’re beginning to understand the profound effects of chiropractic adjustments on the brain and central nervous system

The vertebral subluxation

Before looking at the big picture of chiropractic, let’s take a look at the “problem” chiropractors fix with adjustments: the vertebral subluxation. A vertebral subluxation is the impairment of peak nervous system functioning caused by stress--whether it be physical, chemical, or psychological stress.

A vertebral subluxation usually occurs when the small muscles that attach to each vertebrae become tight from overuse, poor posture, and/or injury, making the spine feel “misaligned”--though it’s not actually the case. Some chiropractors refer to the vertebral subluxation as joint dysfunction or joint restriction.

Vertebral subluxations are usually tender to the touch and can cause pain with certain movements--though they aren’t always painful. For people who don’t experience pain with vertebral subluxations, it might seem unnecessary to get adjustments to “fix” them, but the effects of chiropractic adjustments go deeper than you might think.

Chiropractic and the mind-body connection

Strengthening the mind-body connection is at the heart of chiropractic.

The brain itself is constantly changing and adjusting to its environment--a process called neural plasticity; and the spine houses the body’s information highway--the spinal cord.  Any muscular, joint, or bone dysfunction along the spine changes how the brain perceives and responds to all other sensory information.

Not all of these neural changes are immediately noticeable. For many people, the impact of uncorrected vertebral subluxations doesn’t pass the threshold from uncomfortable to unbearable; it’s often a case of thinking your body and brain are functioning normally, when in fact they can be much improved with chiropractic care. It lies beneath the surface of consciousness until things get so bad they can’t be ignored. 

It’s like the straw that broke the camel’s back: there were already 999 straws on your back you didn’t feel, until that last one pushed you over the edge.

Small deviations from optimal functioning can turn into large, life-altering, pain-inducing problems over time that change the way your entire body moves and operates. Staying on top of these deviations with regular chiropractic adjustments may not feel like it changes your world, but there’s no reason to let them compound enough that they would change your world; proactive care can  keep you moving correctly and prevent you from ever reaching that point.

This is only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what research is revealing about the impact of chiropractic care on the brain, central nervous system, and overall well being. I will explain more about fine tuning the mind-body connection as part of a healthy lifestyle in our next article in this series about chiropractic science!

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