“Have You Really Stopped Seeing Your Chiropractor?”

By Dr. James Allen

October 18, 2016


[Note From Dr. Cordova: From time to time, we will have guest bloggers contribute information for our patients that we think is helpful, entertaining, and useful. We hope you’ll enjoy this post from Dr. James Allen all the way from Australia!]

You’ve put in all the hard yards getting your spine and body back on track. You’re now finally pain free and loving life. You’re back on the golf course, playing with the kids and enjoying the good things of life. What could possibly go wrong?

So you decide to stop your Chiropractic care because your back or neck (or whatever problem it was) doesn’t hurt anymore. Bang! You get struck down by an immediate bout of spinal pain and muscle tightness and rush back to your Chiropractor only to have them waiting at the door saying “I told you so!”

Chiropractors see events like this and many more every day.

My firm belief is that it’s because people don’t fully understand how Chiropractic care effects the body, the importance of maintenance Chiropractic care and how well your body will continue to function if you maintain your regular schedule.

Firstly, lets explore what happens when you visit a Chiropractor because there’s much more to it then ‘cracking a bone back into place.’ Chiropractors promote a natural and preventative lifestyle that focuses on ensuring your spine, nervous system and overall health is at its absolute best all the time.

So how is it that seeing a Chiropractor can affect other areas of your body or health if we merely adjust the spine?

Introducing the nervous system. Your nervous system begins with your brain which transmits messages to and from the body via nerves, hormones and chemicals. Nerves travel through your spinal cord and exit the spine at various levels. Each nerve has its own responsibilities and role in pain, function and wellbeing.

Consider this example: You’re playing with your kids in the park and take a tumble over a small ledge. You immediately reach for the middle section between your shoulder blades and notice a sharp pain. You think nothing of it at the time and look for it to ‘get better by itself.’

Two to three days later that sharp pain has turned into pain throughout your shoulders and arms. You think to yourself, “it’s time to see the Chiropractor” because you know they’re great for these types of problems. It turns out that you pinched your 4th Thoracic nerve which commonly refers pain like you’re experiencing.

As well as this, this specific nerve is also responsible for the normal functioning of your heart, larynx, trachea, bronchi and lungs.

This is the vital connection between the spine and your overall health and wellbeing. And thus, why many people see Chiropractors for maintenance care. Next time when you hear someone say “I see my Chiropractor because it helps improve my Asthma” or “Chiropractic care reduces my allergies” you will understand how proper nerve function can achieve these changes.

Other organic or non-musculoskeletal reasons why you may wish to consult with a Chiropractor may range from high blood pressure, attention deficit disorder, infantile colic, irritable bowel syndrome, fibromyalgia, infantile reflux, immune system function, infertility problems, ear infections, anxiety, stress and much more!

We all want to be healthy and regularly visiting your Chiropractor is just one component of good health. Some interesting and fun facts regarding the importance of your amazing nervous system can be found below:

• There are more nerve cells in the human brain than there are stars in the Milky Way

• If we lined up all the nerves in our body it would be around 600 miles long. That’s about the same distance from Houston to Wichita (Kansas)

• As we get older, the brain loses almost one gram per year. So it’s important to stimulate it through proper movement and Chiropractic care

• The brain sends messages at 100 metres per second. Usain Bolt wouldn’t stand a chance!

• Our brains are relatively lazy and only uses 4% of its capacity at a given moment

Other aspects of maintenance care may include the prescription of specific exercises and providing advice on other aspects of your lifestyle such as nutrition.

Your health is multi-faceted and needs a well rounded approach. When Chiropractors discuss maintenance care with you it doesn’t mean that you need an adjustment once a week, but it’s about finding what is right for your body.

For some people this may be an adjustment once a fortnight, for others it could be every month or few months. As always, it’s important to listen to your body!

Think of seeing your Chiropractor like visiting the Dentist.

Ok maybe that’s not a great example because some people fear their dentist. The take home message is, brushing your teeth daily and having regular check-ups ensures your teeth remain healthy and cavity free.

Seeing your Chiropractor is no different. Keep your spine well-aligned and you won’t experience flare ups and further problems. Not to mention the added benefit of having a great nervous system which ensures your body functions highly and can adapt to the chemical, lifestyle and emotional stresses that you place upon it.

For more information from Dr. Allen, visit: http://www.vitalitychiropractor.com.au

Dr. James Allen

About the author

Dr. James Allen is the founder & director of Vitality Chiropractic Australia. Early in Dr. James’ professional career he completed numerous programs at RMIT University in Bundoora, including a Bachelor of Exercise Science degree & Bachelor of Chiropractic degree. Click Here To Read Full Bio

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