National Chiropractic Month

Since it's National Chiropractic Month and I am in fact a Chiropractor, obviously I had to make a post about it!

First off, let's talk about what Chiropractors are known for. They give 'adjustments.' An adjustment or manipulation is a hands-on, high velocity, low amplitude thrust directed towards a specific joint in the body. Adjustments target misalignments in joints, in an effort to realign them, which in turn can affect the nervous system, decrease muscle spasms, decrease tension, decrease stress, increase range of motion, and many, many more benefits.

Adjustments can help with a diverse variety of conditions, including everything from headaches and stress to strain/sprains and joint pain. Chiropractic is known for treating aches and pains, but can also treat digestive issues and asthma through the effect on the nervous system. By targeting specific vertebral segments in the spine, the specific nerves passing through those vertebra are affected, which increases function to the parts of the body those nerves supply. For example, the C4 cervical vertebra affects the diaphragm through the phrenic nerve. Adjusting that specific segment and the two surrounding vertebrae (C3 and C5) can help with asthma or even hiccups. This is why it is extremely important to keep your body aligned properly, to remain as healthy as possible. Chiropractic does not just deal with muscle and joint pain but can alter the way the entire body functions.

In addition to the above benefits, Chiropractic has also been shown to be more effective than drugs in relieving pain. A recent article posted, pointed at the opioid epidemic, stated that Chiropractic could help this epidemic by decreasing opioid use.  The study follows people with neck pain for 12 weeks, with pain levels greater than 3/10. 1/3 of the participants received only Chiropractic adjustments and stretching techniques, 1/3 received exercise advice (strengthening and stretching) from physical therapists, and the last 1/3 was given anti-inflammatory medications or acetaminophen however stronger narcotics or muscle relaxants could be used if they did not respond to the other medications. The results showed that the chiropractic and exercise groups achieved the most effective outcomes. After 12 weeks of treatment, 32% of the groups that had spinal adjustments became pain free and 30% of those in the exercise group. Only 13% of the medication group became pain free.

You can read the full article here.

Get yourself an appointment with your Chiropractor to reap some of these benefits and celebrate National Chiropractic Month! And if you are looking for a Chiropractor or have questions, feel free to reach out to us at Hover Chiropractic and Sports Medicine at 630.832.4476.