What Is Chiropractic Care and How Does It Help the Body Function?

 What is chiropractic and what does it do?  Chiropractic adjustments restore function to joints and therefore help the body to function more efficiently.  So, when the body is not at its full efficiency, dysfunction is the result.   Let’s discuss a bit more about how this process works.

A joint should move without restriction freely and fluidly.  When a joint doesn’t move like it should or is restricted the biomechanics of that joint are adversely affected.  This adversity causes a decrease in the overall function of the musculoskeletal system and the nervous system. 

A chiropractic adjustment restores the function of the joint which positively affects the nervous system.  This positive effect on the nervous system causes new healthier neural pathways to be formed.  This process is called neuroplasticity.  Adjusting a joint also causes a powerful nerve impulse to be generated which can help overcome pain impulses in the nervous system.  Our joints and muscles contain nerves called proprioceptive nerves which provide location information to the spinal cord and brain.  Joints in the extremities and muscles in the spine contain numerous proprioceptive nerves.  Adjusting these joints stimulates the proprioceptive nerves creating positive neuroplastic changes.

Our bodies have two basic states.  Sympathetic, also called fight or flight mode, and parasympathetic which could be considered rest and relax mode.  When our bodies are operating in sympathetic mode the focus is on our immediate survival.  Our pupils dilate, our breathing increases, and our heartbeat increases.  Some of the normal functions such as digestion and soft tissue repair are not the priority.  So, you can see why our bodies should normally stay in parasympathetic mode almost all the time. 

There are multiple causes of the body remaining in sympathetic mode for a prolonged period.  One of these causes is the previously mentioned dysfunction.  Another reason is stress.  Our modern world is full of stress that is not life threatening, but our bodies can’t separate artificial stress from life threatening.  

You can probably see how dysfunction and stress can lead to painful conditions.  It is therefore very important to maintain the body at an optimum level which allows defense against wear and tear.  Chiropractic adjustments are a vital part of restoring and maintaining optimum health and performance.