Tag Archive for: cortisol

What Kinds of Stressors Can Chiropractic Help With?

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By: Dr. Tod Williams

Most people when they think of chiropractic care, they may only think it can be helpful for issues like back pain and headaches. However, chiropractic care focuses on removing interference in the nervous system to allow our bodies to function and heal at its optimal ability. Now, first we have to understand the three types of stress on the nervous system that causes our body to have dis-ease; physical stress, chemical stress, and emotional stress.

Physical Stressors

-Major impacts to the body, such as car accidents, slips, or falls that impact the spine immediately.

-Repetitive daily motions that slowly change how our spine is shaped, such as looking down at a cell phone for extended periods of time or sitting at a desk with poor posture for work.

Chemical Stressors

-The food and drinks that we put in to our body or the air that breathe. Especially those living in areas that are susceptible to wild fires.

-The chemicals that we put on our body that are absorbed through our skin such as our shampoos, sunscreen, lotions, etc.

Emotional Stressors

-These come in many different forms for each person. The stress that comes with our work, family, school, and all other things that we deal with throughout the day can be very emotionally stressful.

 

Now, how does chiropractic care help stabilize our mood and help with anxiety? Chiropractic adjustments stimulate what we call “happy hormones”. These include cortisol, oxytocin, neurotensin, dopamine, and serotonin. These hormones working together are responsible for regulating our stress level.

Cortisol: It is responsible for assisting the body in dealing with stress.

Oxytocin: It is also known as the “love hormone” and is connected to the reliability, understanding others’ feelings, or creating/maintaining a connection.

Neurotensin: It modifies the discomfort caused by stress.

Dopamine: Plays a role in how we feel pleasure. It helps us strive, focus, and find interest in activities and topics.

Serotonin: It helps regulate mood, social behavior, appetite, digestion, sleep, and memory.

How Can Chiropractic Help Long-term?

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You may have heard someone say “If you go to the chiropractor, you will have to go for the rest of your life” or “chiropractic is only for neck and back pain.” Those statements are completely incorrect. Though neck or back pain may be the initial reason people consider going to a chiropractor in the first place, we often see that people continue to go, even after the initial cause is resolved! This is usually because they have realized how good their bodies can feel with routine chiropractic care! After completing an initial phase of corrective care, we recommend wellness care at a lower frequency to maintain the changes made during that initial phase and to continue to improve your overall health. I will also discuss in this blog the additional benefits of wellness care and why it is important to add it to your health routine.

1. Injury and Illness Prevention:

You do not have to be in pain to benefit from chiropractic adjustments. The goal of the adjustment is to remove any nerve interference in the body. It is cheaper and more effective to take preventive measures than to be reactionary to any injury or illness. The rest of this blog will cover specific areas that can benefit from regular wellness chiropractic visits.

2. Range of Motion:

Chiropractic improves joint mobility. Better joint mobility reduces your risk of injury and cartilage deterioration. Chiropractic adjustments also help with loosening tighter muscles and improving strength in weaker muscles.

3. Nervous System Function:

Your nervous system is made up of the brain, the spinal cord, and all the nerves from the spinal cord that connect to every cell, tissue, organ, and muscle in the body. Your nervous system also controls and coordinates all other systems in the body. Chiropractic adjustments enhance your nervous system function and boosts blood flow throughout your body. Removing any interference to your nervous system enhances your whole-body performance.

4. Digestion:

Above, we learned that all systems are controlled by the nervous system. Your digestive system and nervous system are closely linked. Nerves in your spine control how your body digests food. Conditions like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), diarrhea, constipation, and even heartburn can be resolved through chiropractic care. It is evident that gut health has a major impact on overall health. A healthy gut means superior digestion, a stronger immune system, improved sleep, and an ability to combat certain autoimmune diseases and cancers.

5. Sleep:

Regular chiropractic adjustments take unhealthy strain and stress off of the nerves, promoting relaxation. People who are able to get a better night’s rest can notice benefits like; being sick less often, lower risk for heart disease, mood improvement, and less injuries. While we’re sleeping, hormones flood the body, promoting healing, growth, repair, and other functions. The nervous system rests and recharges. Cortisol, a stress hormone, reduces while the body is asleep. Muscles relax, heal, and rest up, preparing for the next day of activity and use. The immune system releases cytokines, chemicals that fight inflammation, infection, and trauma.

6. Immune System:

While on the topic of the immune system from the last point, the immune system is influenced by your nervous system and endocrine system. Chiropractic adjustments can help strengthen your immune system by helping your body perform at peak performance, which allows it to fight off any germs. Having a higher functioning immune system leads to less illness and sickness overall!