When most people think of chiropractic care, they think of traditional chiropractors who focus on decreasing muscular spasm, increasing range of motion, and reducing pain. This is how most chiropractors practice, and most of them are great at what they do. This falls under the umbrella category of symptom relief/symptom management. Now, what you may not know about chiropractic care is that symptoms are the secondary condition of an underlying cause.
In our office we focus on structural correction. You see, once the spine shifts and disrupts the spinal nerves and spinal cord, it can create many different secondary conditions or symptoms. The reason these are called secondary conditions is because they are a result of the primary structural shift, or the underlying cause. Once found, a specific adjustment of only those segments of the spine that are actually shifted is needed. With care for not disturbing those vertebrae that are in proper alignment, the chiropractic adjustment respects the spine for good reason – your spine protects the nervous system which controls everything in your body.
The location of the structural shift and where the nerves are being disrupted will give us an idea about your secondary conditions. Most people are unaware of the many ways chiropractic can help these conditions; here are just a few examples:
During Pregnancy
Did you know that structural shifts in the spine can happen during pregnancy? When the pelvis is shifted it affects the uterus and the position of the growing baby. The uterus is connected to the pelvis by ligaments: the broad ligament, the uterosacral ligaments, and the round ligaments. Like a hot air balloon tethered to the ground, these ligaments work to keep the uterus in the proper place in the pelvis and allow support as the uterus grows to accommodate the growing baby. If the pelvis is shifted, these ligaments can become torqued. When the ligaments are affected, they directly affect the position of the uterus which can result in the baby not being in an optimal position. This type of situation may result in a breech baby or a transverse (sideways) baby. Some chiropractors are certified in the Webster Technique which is a technique that is used to correct structural shifts in the sacrum to allow the baby to get into the best possible position for birth.
In Children
Did you know that structural shifts in the spine can happen from the birth process? Studies have shown that a typical birth can place 60-90 lbs of force onto an infant’s head and neck – which can lead to strain of upper neck muscles causing a structural shift in the spine. Many parents choose to make the correction early in life and help avoid many of the health complaints seen later in adults. Parents seek care for secondary conditions such as colic, ear infections, asthma, and headaches (to name a few). Even more significant is that research has shown parents reported three unexpected improvements with their child’s chiropractic care:
- Improved sleeping
- Improved behavior and attitude
- Improved immune system function
Although we shouldn’t be surprised – after all, it is a child’s nervous system that controls their amazing development.
Optimal Immunity
In our bodies there are numerous modes of communication between the nervous system and the immune system. The nervous system has a direct effect on the immune system due to the nerve supply to the important immune system organs. As chiropractors, we have a direct influence over the nervous system. We now know through research that correcting structural shifts in the spine has beneficial effects on immunoglobulins, B-lymphocytes (white blood cells), pulmonary function and other immune system processes. In addition, those under regular chiropractic care have lower levels of oxidative stress in their cells, (that is a very good thing). They have the strength and ability to fight off infections naturally without outside help.
At True Health Family Chiropractic, we are focused on delivering a full structural correction to the spine. Reversing structural abnormalities using specific customized chiropractic care gets to the underlying cause of many conditions.
