The incredible health benefits of Chiropractic care for treating pain are well known. From back and neck pain to headaches and shoulder pain, Chiropractic has great success in the vast majority of cases, as in Neil Paige’s (2017) study on back pain and Gert Bronfort’s (2012) study on neck pain. The results of the studies corroborate with numerous stories from patients as well.
I am no longer surprised by the types of improvements, beyond pain relief, experienced by patients post treatment, and it is part of what I love about Chiropractic. Your nervous system flows through your spinal column and thus dysfunction in the joints of your spine can potentially interfere with this nerve flow. The movement created in your spinal column creates a huge amount of stimulation that your brain requires. If parts of your spine do not move correctly or stop altogether, you can develop neurological problems such as migraines and dizziness to digestive and balance issues.
So, are you curious about Chiropractic? Here are 8 surprising health benefits Chiropractic that go beyond pain relief that you’ve likely never heard before.
1. Improves Migraines
Chiropractic adjustments can have a significant effect on migraines. Migraines occur due to a “cortical spreading depression,” which is caused by unstable neurons in the brain firing spontaneously and causing a domino effect. This domino effect travels across the brain creating the “aura” symptoms associated with migraine attacks. The blood vessels also start dilating in the brain, irritating the surrounding trigeminal nerves creating the headache. The Chiropractic adjustment can create a powerful stimulation to the brain, improving its function. A study by Dina Lelic and team (2016), among many others, confirmed these effects on the brain were a result of the Chiropractic adjustment. By improving brain function, we can alleviate migraine symptoms quite dramatically for some patients. I have personally seen it many times in my own practice.
2. Improves Dizziness
Dizziness has a number of causes, one of the most common being Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV). BPPV is caused by small crystals dislodging in the inner ear and over stimulating the balance organ, causing a mismatch between the two sides and creating a spinning sensation. This type of vertigo is typically simple to fix with a specific manoeuvre. Dizziness can also be caused by functional neurological issues within the brain, such as Persistent Posturo-Perceptual Dizziness (PPPD). PPPD is often caused by a loss of function within the brain, similar to migraines. The Chiropractic adjustment has powerful stimulating effects to the brain which can improve these types of issues.
3. Boosts Your Immune System
This one may surprise you, especially if you were under the impression Chiropractors only treat pain. But how does this work? As discussed, your nervous system flows through your spine, and the spine has powerful effects on the brain. Your immune system requires a properly functioning nervous system to perform at its best. The Chiropractic adjustment has been shown to influence immune mediators in the body as suggested by Heidi Haavik (2021) paper.
4. Improves Brain Function
As I mentioned, adjusting the spine has powerful effects on the brain when studied under fMRI. Dina Lelic and team (2016) showed a 20% change in the prefrontal cortex, which is the front part of the brain responsible for executive functions, after a Chiropractic adjustment. A member of the research team, Heidi Haavik said, “One of the most interesting things about the changes we observed was that the prefrontal cortex is responsible for behaviour, goal directed tasks, decision making, memory and attention, intelligence, processing of pain and emotional response to it, autonomic function, motor control, eye movements and spatial awareness.”
5. Improves Balance
Balance and falls are a major issue in our society, especially in the elderly population. Fortunately, Chiropractic has shown impressive results in improving balance. This was shown by Kelly R Holt & team (2016) where they split a group of people ages 65 and above into two group. One group received Chiropractic care over a 12-week period and balance tests were performed before and throughout care. Strong improvements were seen in the group that received Chiropractic treatment when compared to the control group who did not.
This is likely because your brain relies heavily on the feedback from your spine to know where your body is within your environment and surrounding. If this feedback is distorted from joint dysfunction, then the brain will be less informed about how to keep you in balance.
6. Reduces Inflammation
Chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), osteoarthritis (OA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBS), are quite common in our population. A certain level of inflammation in the body at the right times and in the right places is good and vital for healing. However, when these levels elevate beyond healthy limits for prolonged periods, it can cause long-term issues, including the diseases listed above.
Fortunately, the health benefits of Chiropractic care have been shown to reduce high levels of inflammation in the body, especially within the joints. Inflammation tends to build up more when joints are not moving. Chiropractic care is aimed at restoring motion and function back into dysfunctional joints. Over time, we tend to find less inflammation in these joints following Chiropractic adjustments, which typically leads to less pain for the patient.
7. Reduction In Opioid Use
Opioid and pain killer use are at an all-time high, with thousands of people dying from overdoses every year. This figure unfortunately is increasing. Unsurprisingly, Chiropractic care has been associated with significantly decreased short-term and long-term opioid use. This was shown by a study done by Lewis E Kazis and team in 2020. This is likely due to the huge impact that Chiropractic has on pain and thus requiring less intervention from drugs. It is also the number one reason why someone would visit a Chiropractor.
8. Spend Less On Overall Medical Costs
Think Chiropractic is too expensive? This has been investigated many times and on average, there was a 40% decrease in overall medical expenditure in those who sought Chiropractic care first. Antonio P Legorreta and his team in 2004 also agreed with this, and they believe it’s due to several factors: “(1) positive risk selection; (2) substitution of chiropractic for traditional medical care, particularly for spine conditions; (3) more conservative, less invasive treatment profiles; and (4) lower health service costs associated with managed chiropractic care.”
In Conclusion
As you can see, the health benefits of Chiropractic care go above and beyond pain. There has been a lot of research on the effects of Chiropractic adjustments in recent years. However, there are new developments and much more to come, which is extremely exciting. Speak with any Chiropractor, and they will be able to tell you numerous stories about the positive effects Chiropractic care has had on their patients.
If you would like to book a consultation with me, please do get in touch and I’ll be happy to help!
See what people have said about their success with Dr Hulme who have had similar problems.