What is Chiropractic?
Many people often wonder what exactly Chiropractic is and when they should seek it.
Chiropractic focuses on optimizing the connection between your brain (nervous system) and your body. By analysing the structure (alignment) and function (movement) of your spine, Chiropractors can assess how well your nervous system is functioning. Spinal misalignments, commonly known as subluxations, cause nerve interference, affecting the brain’s ability to send messages properly to your muscles, joints, ligaments, and tissues. If left uncorrected, this nerve interference can lead to nervous system dysregulation. Nervous system dysregulation is when an imbalance between the sympathetic “fight or flight” and parasympathetic “rest and digest” occurs between the two central parts of your nervous system. This can lead to a plethora of health issues, including chronic stress, pain, digestive problems, and sleep disturbances.
What causes Subluxations?
Three significant areas can cause subluxations:
- Thoughts – childhood trauma and/or negative thought patterns that cause fear, anxiety, and/or depression impact the physiology of our body and ultimately our spinal alignment/nervous system functioning
- Traumas – falls, sport injuries, car accidents, postural stress (work and school), and the birthing process are some of the significant areas that can lead to subluxations/misalignments in your spine.
- Toxins – ingredients in our skin care/household products (i.e., laundry detergent, body lotion), additives/preservatives in our food, and pesticides sprayed in our environment are areas that can cause chemical stress to our nervous system
What are Chiropractic adjustments, and how can they help?
Chiropractic adjustments correct subluxations by gently re-aligning your spine to take pressure off the surrounding nerves. This in turn helps to optimize the brain-body connection, bringing the nervous system back into a state of balance. As your nervous system functioning improves, patients often see changes in their symptoms, including:
- Better posture
- Pain relief
- Reduced Headaches/Migraines
- Improved Focus/concentration
- Improved Sense of well-being
- Better digestion & Immune function
As people adjust, they may hear a popping noise, known as cavitation. This sound is caused by the release of gas from joints within the spine.
There are a variety of Chiropractic techniques that can be utilized and customized to support patients of every age. At Clarity Wellness Chiropractic, we use the Thompson Technique (a gentle drop technique), Torque Release Technique, Activator, and Diversified (manual adjusting done with the hands).
When is the best time to see a Chiropractor?
The best time to see a Chiropractor is before developing any pain or symptoms at all. Symptoms often arise after years of uncorrected subluxation in your spine. Similar to our teeth, our spine can develop spinal decay from the wear and tear of daily life (as mentioned in the ‘three T’ section above). Getting your spine checked regularly and preventatively not only prevents unwanted pain and symptoms from developing but ensures proper alignment and nervous system function. Chiropractic care is safe and beneficial for all ages and stages of life, including Pregnancy, infancy, adolescence, adulthood, and the elderly.
Chiropractors as trusted Spinal experts
Doctors of Chiropractic undergo four years of extensive hands-on training and adjusting to detect, diagnose, and correct subluxations. They are also required to undergo 4500 hours of clinical training in Anatomy, Radiology, and Physiology, with a greater emphasis on Anatomy and Radiology compared to Medical Doctors. As a part of their Continuing Education, Chiropractors commit to deepening their knowledge and clinical expertise by attending seminars throughout the year.
At Clarity Wellness Chiropractic, we are committed to making our community healthier through education and empowerment of the choices that help to optimize your health. We believe that your body was designed to heal and thrive, and that a healthy spine and nervous system play a crucial role in this process. Chiropractic care is a safe and natural solution to pain relief and a key to maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle.
Book now to get your spine checked and see how we can help!
