You may have heard people linking a healthy nervous system with chiropractic care and wondered, how exactly does chiropractic help the nervous system?
The nervous system is responsible for how our body processes and interacts with the world. The healthier this system is, the better it can react and respond to life’s stressors. Chiropractic care specifically focuses on the health and function of your spine and nervous system.
In this article, we’ll discuss how chiropractic care helps your nervous system and some of the key benefits we see from clients every day.
Prefer to skip the reading and jump right to a free health assessment to see if tonal chiropractic techniques are right for you? Go ahead and book your free consultation with us today!
Table of Contents
How Is Chiropractic Care And The Central Nervous System Connected?
Our nervous system can be divided into two main parts. The Central Nervous System (brain & spinal cord) and the Peripheral Nervous System PNS (all other nerves).
The function of the Peripheral Nervous System is to send information to the Central Nervous System about what is happening in the different parts of the body and its surroundings. The Central Nervous System then interprets this information and sends messages back through the Peripheral Nervous System on how to respond.
So, in other words, the nervous system is very important for guiding our everyday activities. It is truly at the core of what we feel, think, and do.
And Chiropractic care helps to restore appropriate nervous system tension patterns by making specific/precise adjustments to the spinal column– 24 movable bones that protect the spinal cord.
These adjustments change how the spine moves which can impact the tension patterns and thus the communication between the two divisions of the nervous system. So, as a “side effect” of a tonal chiropractic approach, you may notice a reduction in the presented pain or symptom.
A better functioning nervous system is correlated with fewer symptoms and pain in the body.
Getting regular adjustments from a chiropractor means that your nervous system will become better at self-regulating so that you can heal more efficiently from the stress you choose to take on in life.
Has Chiropractic Care Always Supported the Nervous System?
The short answer is yes– the nervous system has been at the core of Chiropractic care since it was developed in 1895 by Daniel David (DD) Palmer.
He theorized that tension placed on a nerve group directly impacted the function of the areas in the body the nerves were speaking to. So misalignments of the spinal structures could be responsible for placing tension on nerve tissue, ultimately affecting the functioning of these areas. He also suggested that all dysfunctions/conditions of the human frame could be explained by “too much or too little tension” of the affected organ or organ system.
A lot has changed since 1895, and this theory has continued to be expanded as science’s understanding of how our body’s neurology works. However, this concept is still guiding how chiropractors look to manage their clients’ health concerns– by looking at the spinal cord first.
What’s The Outcome Of Chiropractic Care On The Nervous System
The human body is quite remarkable if you ask us. Just think of all the different things your body can learn to do. Let’s say you wanted to be a weightlifter. Sure, you probably couldn’t do one intense session at the gym and then go up against the Rock, but you could slowly train your body to build the muscle you need.
Through these multiple sessions, your body is learning to build resilience to stress (AKA heavyweights).
Chiropractic care follows this same principle. Through multiple small adjustments over time– rather than one big adjustment– we are training our nervous system to build resilience and be able to restore our health.
Even though your body innately knows how to self-heal, some people’s bodies struggle to heal because their body is wired to spend more time in an alert, fight/flight/fright state. Much like bodybuilding, our body can only heal– or grow muscle– when we are in a rest period.
Chiropractic care focuses on assessing how and where nerve tension is affecting the systems of the body. Then, using precise adjustments to the spine, we restore balance to these systems.
So, a healthy nervous system developed through Chiropractic care allows your body to be better able to heal, recover, and improve when stressors arise.
After A Few Months, People Typically Experience…
As your nervous system becomes more adaptable, you will have less tension in areas of your nervous system from misalignments. Less tension on nerves means less tension in other areas that can cause pain and more ability to heal. The goal, in the beginning, is to get your body in a place so that it will be well equipped to manage new issues when they arise.
Every new client of ours completes a Health Assessment, which includes a number of ways to measure the performance of your nervous system. After 3 months of consistent care, we will complete the tests again and compare your results to see how your nerve system function has changed.
Individual results vary on a number of things. We are looking for evidence that your body is healing itself better and becoming more resilient to the stresses it will encounter. We do this by tracking your progress through these scans.
You may experience a reduction in pain, fewer stressors, aches, etc. but the true measure of success is your body’s ability to heal.
With Regular Ongoing Care Beyond A Few Months
The proper, consistent care and adjustments at the beginning of your health journey create momentum for developing more tangible progress and changes. So, with regular chiropractic care, your body will have a great opportunity for continued growth and longevity.
Chiropractic care and healthy nervous system functioning can be correlated to reported improvements in things such as better sleep, more energy, and less stress.
According to the New Zealand Chiropractors’ Association (NZCA), chiropractic adjustments have been shown to stimulate your prefrontal cortex. The prefrontal cortex or PFC is the center for creativity, problem-solving, planning and cognition. This area of the brain integrates and coordinates the operations of multiple neural systems. A more active PFC might be related to people reporting feeling calmer and more responsive in stressful situations.
Every aspect of your health is impacted by the nervous system’s ability to integrate and respond, so the healthier it is, the quicker you can get back to living life.
Don’t Take Our Word For It— Hear From One Of Our Clients
“Brad asked whether I wanted him to fix the symptom, or whether he could help me deal with the underlying issues causing the symptoms. Wow, what a refreshing approach. One year on, I am completely pain-free, with a much greater appreciation of how I can stay that way going forward. I can honestly say Dr. Brad Johns has changed my life for the better.” – Mike Demers
You should demand more from your treatment than a temporary loss of pain. We are here to help! Book a Free Consultation Today!
Let’s Get Your Nervous System Back On Track!
We believe a healthy nervous system is the key to a healthy life. Chiropractic care can help your nervous system get back to a healthy place where it can respond appropriately to new stressors.
Book a free health consultation today, and let’s chat about your health. This call is a conversation, not a commitment. We’re invested in getting you feeling better, and if that’s not through us, we’ll help you find someone else who can help.
