So what about chiropractic? My past articles have all largely focused on lifestyle changes and diet changes. Which are fantastic and will only ever make your life better. But what does a chiropractor do and how can they help me in my health journey? The answer is actually very simple.
I think one of the largest things about chiropractic that sets it apart from most other professions is the paradigm or philosophy that a chiropractor has. The general mindset of a chiropractor is to restore the bodies ability to heal itself. Well, what does that mean? When you go in to see your doctor about an ear infection and they prescribe an antibiotic to deal with those nasty bacteria, they are providing an outside aid to help your immune system that is currently having trouble fending off the nasty intruder. This is wonderful and has saved millions of lives, in a similar fashion when an organ malfunctions or gets a clot, our medical teams are able to get in and fix the problem with surgery. These types of care all involve getting in and helping the body where it can’t help itself.
Chiropractic comes in on the opposite end of the spectrum, chiropractic focused on making sure the body is functioning optimally so as to best deal with problems on its own, or help it heal quicker should medical intervention be required. When all your joints are healthy, the muscles are unstressed, and the nervous system is functioning in a well and balanced state, our bodies are better able to take care of themselves. My simple focus with my patients is to make sure that there are no stressors on their body that shouldn’t be there. Pain all on its own can be a problem.Throw in poor joint function, inflammation and a lack of essential nutrients and you have a recipe for disaster. This is one of the reasons your chiropractor may check your whole spine even areas that may seem unrelated to your current complaint. If there is dysfunction in your low back, but you have neck pain, it’s entirely possible that the lower back is contributing to the problem by both changing your body mechanics, and also by keeping your body in a more stressed state. When their is pain, tension or dysfunction, your body stays in what is known as sympathetic dominance, or as its more commonly known, that good old fight or flight mode that keeps you out of healing. Remove the dysfunction and the body can better focus on healing, and in turn putting energy into the things you love.