Chiropractors and Overall Wellness
If the first thing that comes to mind when you think of a chiropractor is helping with back pain, you’re not alone. Helping people find relief from neck, back, and shoulder pain is one of the most common treatments that chiropractors do. However, this isn’t all they do. While you should certainly consider booking an appointment with a chiropractor if your back hurts, there are plenty of other reasons to see one. In fact, chiropractic care can play an important role in your overall health and wellness.
This is because the overall basis of chiropractic care is focused on a holistic philosophy. This comprehensive approach recognizes that health and wellness are interconnected throughout the body. It isn’t just about treating one symptom or one area. Your body functions best—and you feel your best—when everything is working in alignment. This starts with your spine.
Understanding your Spine and Musculoskeletal System
A big focus of chiropractic care is the spine and musculoskeletal system. This system is made up of your bones, muscles, and joints, along with cartilage, tendons, and ligaments. As you can tell, this is a major system in the body and it is responsible for movement, stability, and support. Obviously, without your muscles and bones, your body wouldn’t have any stability or mobility. However, your musculoskeletal system plays an important role in blood cell production, mineral storage, and respiration. Your muscles and joints are also critical for maintaining posture and balance.
Why is this important?
It is important for several reasons. The first is that your spine protects your spinal cord, which is how nerve impulses travel from your brain throughout your body. Every function of your body is controlled by these impulses. If your spine is out of alignment or if there are any dysfunctions or issues, this can interfere with nerve transmission. This interference won’t just affect how your body functions, but it can also disrupt your body’s natural healing processes.
In addition, issues or misalignments in your musculoskeletal system can affect how your body moves. Poor posture, reduced range of motion, and difficulty moving can have serious consequences. For instance, if you have poor posture, this can cause pain in your legs, hips, back, neck, or shoulders. Not only does this issue result in physical pain, but it can make it more difficult to get things done as well. If you’re in pain, it’s harder to focus, harder to concentrate, and harder to be productive. It even becomes more difficult to get a good night’s sleep, which can lead to several other problems. If you’re in pain, it’s hard to get comfortable enough to have a restful sleep. If you’re not sleeping well, you may experience impaired cognitive function, a weakened immune system, or other health problems such as an increased risk of heart disease or diabetes.
Overall, life becomes much more difficult if you’re dealing with musculoskeletal issues. A chiropractor can help relieve these issues by properly treating your body, helping to realign your spine, and relieving pain, tension, and discomfort. This will improve your overall wellness.
Relieving Pain and Tension
In addition to all the issues caused by musculoskeletal misalignment, a lot of aches, pains, and problems are caused or worsened by tension in your body. Think of how it hurts to stand in one spot for a long time without moving, or how your body feels stiff and sore following a long car ride. In addition to chiropractic adjustments aimed at improving your joint alignment, chiropractors typically also offer soft-tissue therapy. This is aimed at relaxing tight muscles, releasing tension, and relieving spasms.
Muscle tension is often caused by lifestyle factors, such as overuse, poor posture, or working in conditions that require you to hold your body in a certain position for a long period. When you meet with a chiropractor, they will discuss these lifestyle factors with you during the initial consultation and evaluation. It is a part of their commitment to holistic wellness. Once they have determined the causes of your pain or tension, a chiropractor will develop a plan to reduce pain, treat the root of the issue, and help improve your quality of life.
One condition where chiropractors can help that you may not have thought of is tension headaches. Many people experience tension headaches regularly, which can make it hard to accomplish tasks or even live day-to-day life. Through soft tissue therapy and other manual therapies, chiropractors can help relieve tension—especially tension in your neck and spine—that can cause or worsen tension headaches and other aches and pains.
Mental and Emotional Benefits
As mentioned, it’s difficult to live daily life when you’re in pain, have difficulty moving, aren’t able to get a good night’s sleep, or you’re generally feeling unwell. This doesn’t just mean that your life becomes tougher physically, it also makes things tougher emotionally. Pain and discomfort eventually start to wear you down. If you’re dealing with reduced flexibility or range of motion, you might not be able to do the things that bring you joy. You might not even be able to do the things you need to do. That’s tough mentally and emotionally. If you add in reduced sleep and difficulty concentrating, the mental and emotional toll can be significant.
By working to relieve pain and tension, chiropractic care makes it easier for you to live your life. When day-to-day tension and stressors are reduced, you might even be able to relax, which is great for your overall wellness!
Long-Term Health and Wellness
One of the most important aspects of chiropractic care is that it doesn’t simply treat the symptoms. Chiropractors don’t aim to mask pain or help you ignore it. Instead, they work to get to the root of your pain and resolve the underlying issues that are causing the issue. This doesn’t just fix your problems in the short term, it means lasting wellness that improves your overall life.
If you have any questions about chiropractic care, please contact us today. We’d love to talk with you and help you improve your health and well-being.