What Exactly Happens When You Are Adjusted?

A chiropractic adjustment does so much more than just release a joint, taking tension off of the nerves and muscles. In fact I've heard it said this way:

Going to a chiropractor just for pain relief, is like robbing a bank and just stealing the pens!

But what actually happens when you get adjusted? When the chiropractor evaluates your spine, he/she is looking for the presence of a subluxation.

A simple explanation is that a subluxation is a misalignment in the spine that interferes with the normal transmission of nerve power throughout the body.

This can be caused by several types of physical, chemical or emotional trauma throughout a person's lifetime.

An adjustment is the correction of a subluxation. It removes the nerve interference with the intention of having the body work more efficiently and effectively.

But, a detailed analysis of the literature reveals that a properly applied, specific chiropractic adjustment does so much more.

A 2011 study by 9 doctors using PET scan technology (neuro-imaging technique) found that ONE CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENT did the following:

1. Sympathetic tone was inhibited (ie anti-stress effect)

This literally means that your body has a harder time feeling stressed when you get adjusted. Think about that! Wow!

2. Salivary amylase was decreased (drop in the feeling of being stressed)

This is a measurement of the type of saliva that is present in someone that is highly stressed.

3. Regional brain metabolic changes (the brain is greatly influenced by the spine)

The metabolism of your brain is altered - it becomes more efficient in its firing (hence your general feeling of more energy) and it quiets down, just like it would in a stress-free environment.

4. Decreased muscle hypertonicity (relaxation of muscles)

The muscles around the neck, shoulders and back all release their tension - even in areas of the spine that weren't actually touched during the adjustment. This is why for so many of you a proper upper spine adjustment is exactly what is required to release the tension in your lower back.

5. Decreased pain intensity (feeling better)

Pain is a chemical reaction. The depolarization level of mechanoreceptors and pain receptors are altered to a level that they would be in a stess-free person.

What does this all mean?

This shows that no matter your age, your health, your heritage or your genetics, your SPINAL INTEGRITY will dictate NERVE SYSTEM FUNCTION!

Your back is your lifeline. Your back determines whether or not you are always stressed. And since stress = death, I'd say that's pretty important!

 

For more information connect with Dr. French at http://www.insideoutchiro.org or his personal blog at http://www.drryanfrench.com

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Start Chiropractic For Better Health

Chiropractic is a discipline in health and wellness which promotes proper functioning of the nervous system. It basically concentrates on the spine as it is through it that our nervous system functions. Though chiropractic tends to focus on the spinal cord, its importance is not limited to back-related disorders. It seeks revive the body's vigor by means of the hands adjusting abnormalities in the musculoskeletal system. Chiropractic experts believe that ailments affect the human body through the nervous system. Chiropractic does not utilize drugs and chemicals therefore, it is safe, natural and most of all, painless.

Chiropractic's basic therapy is through manipulation of the spinal cord along the muscles that surround it. Chiropractors, a term used for chiropractic practitioners, are doctors themselves. Before they manipulate the spine, several tests and processes are conducted on the patients. Patients undergo consultations, physical examination, laboratory and x-ray procedures. According to principles that govern the practice of chiropractic, patients feel better when their spines are manipulated to an ideal form. They say that improvement in the spine's form eliminates bad health conditions therefore improving the person's quality of life. As mentioned, chiropractors do not only focus on the back part of the body. They also take part in determining the health needs of their patients such as food intake and exercise for overall vigor and revitalization of the body and the mind. They encourage their patients to practice healthy lifestyle along with care to the nervous system.

Many people believe that chiropractic is not needed to improve the quality of life. People tend to even ignore chiropractic when they do not feel backaches or when backaches are bearable. They do not realize the incredible health benefits this medical discipline offers.

Since chiropractic involves spine manipulation, it improves posture not only for aesthetic purposes but also to make the nervous system achieve its optimal function. When problems in the nervous system are addressed, the person's mobility and muscle coordination greatly improve as well. With this comes a stronger immune system which will deflect harmful elements in our environment. Other benefits of chiropractic are rapid tissue repair, rapid recovery from physical injury, stress and tension free life, more energy and productivity.

The benefits of chiropractic are too important to ignore. If you want to be healthy for yourself and for your loved ones, start chiropractic and be an inspiration to others.

Anne really loves her home and family and lives life to the full and has been writing about her knowledge and experience. Feel free to see some of his material at Lawn Tractor Attachments [http://lawntractorattachments.net] and Clay Pigeon Thrower [http://claypigeonthrower.net].

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Why Come To Pazdel Chiropractic?

Dr. Bejan Pazdel casually talks about what sets them apart and besides the goal of achieving more wellness, he thinks of his patients as family.

See more at http://www.PazdelChiropractic.com

Identify 7 Simple Triggers for Migraine Headaches - End Them Forever

Learn the right way to identify and avoid the common triggers for migraine headaches In 7 simple steps.

How exactly does one cure a chronic problem such as a migraine headache? When the dreaded migraine starts, it is all you can do to go lay in a silent, dark room. Unfortunately, our busy hectic lives do not allow us the luxury of laying in bed for a couple hours a couple times a month. The migraine headache has certainly been demonized but it is a warning symptom to tell you that something is not functioning properly in your body. I am going to go through an incomplete list of 7 simple steps to identify and avoid the common triggers for migraine headaches.

Step 1. Get plenty of sleep. This means that you need to get to bed early, avoid late night television, avoid exercising at night, and avoid stimulants, like caffeinated tea and coffee, in the afternoon to ensure a proper nights sleep. Lack of sleep and overuse of caffeine have been linked to migraines.

Step 2. Decrease stress and anxiety. This step can be extremely important because normally the attack does not happen until the stress is over and therefore, it is not correlated as being a contributing factor to a migraine headache.

Step 3. Hormone fluctuations. This will imply that migraines may occur more often surrounding or during the menstrual cycle, using birth control, or using estrogen replacement therapy. Sometimes women may experience their first migraine early in pregnancy and will diminish after the first trimester. Also women can experience a decrease in migraines if they switch to a low-dose contraceptive.

Step 4. Missing a meal or fasting. This will probably involve eating more frequently, eating dense protein, eating fat, and making sure emergency snacks are available for drops in the blood sugar.

Step 5. Avoid certain foods. A significant point to keep in mind here is certain foods like wine, cheese, processed foods, sodas, sugar, chocolate and other foods have been linked to migraines. Ever heard the saying you are what you eat?

Step 6. Identify any head traumas or head injuries because they are often linked to chronic migraines.

Step 7. Other triggers could be light glares, flickering lights, drugs, medications, cold foods, muscle spasms, spinal joint dysfunction, and pungent odors. You are now almost there! Remember, It is important to identify what you were doing proceeding the migraine to identify the triggers of the migraines. Migraines can also be a combination of any the above items.

Learn killer tips to avoid and eliminate migraines with specific and effective tips and tools by going to this Boulder Chiropractic http://www.niwotchiropractic.com website at http://www.niwotchiropractic.com

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5 Tips for Reducing Back Pain

It is estimated that 80% of Americans will have some type of back pain at some point in their lives. Many of the remedies we apply with regard to this problem actually work against the natural healing abilities of the human body. This list will help reduce the severity of most cases of back pain and help speed the healing process. In addition, it's always beneficial to consult a professional to rule out more severe health conditions.

1. Don't use heat. The majority of people have been told to use heat when having back problems. This is the absolute worst thing you can do. Back pain usually has little to do with muscles and everything to do with nerves. Nerve irritation from misaligned spinal bones causes muscles to brace against the misalignment to protect you from further injuring yourself. This is a good thing. So muscle spasms should not be massaged away or forced to relax. Muscles only do what nerves tell them to do and they will relax only when the nerve irritation is removed.

Back pain is most often caused by nerve irritation resulting from injury to spinal joints and ligaments.
The actual injury that caused the pressure may have happened years prior. Because of the joint dysfunction, the slightest incorrect move or strain can cause the disc and surrounding tissues to swell, just like when you sprain an ankle. The swelling causes pressure on spinal nerves, which causes that shooting pain you feel when you move in certain directions.

The solution in this case is ice. Ice will reduce the swelling which will, in turn, reduce the nerve pressure. Heat, on the other hand, will cause surrounding tissues to swell, which will ultimately increase the nerve pressure. Heat will certainly make some people feel better, but will cause more problems in the long run.

Tip: never, never, never use heat on the spine.

2. Walk. Walking is the very best exercise for your spine. It's even better if you add a couple of inches to your stride, causing you to reach a bit with each step. Walking causes your ab and hip muscles to work together and support each other. It also can cause stuck spinal bones to move a little more freely which can reduce swelling and pain. The movement will also help keep your hip joints moving through a complete range of motion, which will lessen the chances of them getting fixed to one another.

Tip: one word of caution, though. If walking makes your pain worse, stop.

3. Be careful with pain relievers. While pain pills may the first thing you reach for when your back hurts, you might be causing yourself more problems. Besides the risk of side effects that all pain relievers pose, blocking the pain signal your nerves are sending could make the injury linger.

The pain signal acts as an alarm clock. It alerts you that something is wrong. It also lets you know your limits. If you bend forward and feel a sudden rush of horrible pain, that movement obviously isn't good for you. Your body is telling you not to do that. Now if you cover that pain signal with drugs, you stop your body from being able to communicate that important message to you. This can make you able to do things your body doesn't want you to do, making your problem worse.

Tip: if you're going to take medications for pain, take them before you go to bed or when you aren't going to do anything else that day.

4. No Crunches. People with back pain have been told for years to strengthen their abdominal muscles by doing crunches. While strong abs are important for spinal stability, crunches will eventually destroy your back.

The natural curves of the spine are its most important feature. They act as shock absorbers, much like the ones on your car, and keep your body from falling apart from the physical activity you engage in every day. When you do a crunch, you force your lower back into the floor which
removes the lower back curve. Then the strain from the exercise is absorbed by the surrounding spinal joints, muscles, and ligaments, which they were not designed to do. Over time this will cause problems.

Also, when the curves of the spine are healthy, a naturally occurring locking mechanism exists that holds all spinal bones in their proper places. When you straighten the spine while doing a crunch, this locking mechanism is removed and the spine becomes vulnerable to greater injury.

Tip: find some other exercises to strengthen your abs. Bodyweight calisthenics do this wonderfully. Any exercise where you use your entire body in the movement will produce more powerful abs. Swimming, push-ups, and sprints are great, as well as abdominal isometrics. They won't give you a six-pack, but they will certainly stabilize and strengthen your spine without causing harm.

5. Get adjusted. Misaligned spinal bones don't just move back into place by themselves. It does happen, but rarely. Since some type of force probably caused the misalignment in the first place, a controlled force in the right direction at the right time is needed to correct it.

What you should also know is that spinal nerve irritation is not gone when your pain disappears. It lingers like a cavity until it's fixed. The pain reappears when you physically do too much and irritate the problem, but it is always present once it's created. That's why people tend to hurt themselves in the same spot time after time. It's not a new injury every time it happens, but rather an old injury resurfacing.

Tip: if you had a cavity, you'd get it fixed, so find a good chiropractor and make spinal adjustments part of your health regimen.

Dr. Mark Smith is partners with the largest discount health company in America. They are currectly looking for ambitious individuals who want to make an income from home saving people money on healthcare. Anyone interested in joining his team of caring professionals can visit Dr. Smith's website here.

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Some Common Causes Of Lower Back Pain

According to the latest statistics close to 75% of the population have at one time or another experienced lower back pain. And although many will have bouts with back problems, usually most of these will not be too serious.

Lower back pain problems can range from very mild and short-lived to excruciating. If it is left untreated then it can end up much more serious, therefore if your pain is consistent and persists over a long period of time, it is highly recommended that you see a doctor as quickly as possible. This way, you can start on the path to having it treated by a professional.

The majority of lower back problems and cases can be attributed to sprained muscles due to either bending or lifting heavy objects. Normally this type of pain will only persist from a week up to 14 days or so, with very few problems lasting over a month. Sometimes the back pains will come back on a short-term temporary basis.

One of the more painful causes of back pain is a pinched nerve. Normally, those who have this type of problem will feel pain that runs all the way to the feet and through the legs. This can be very severe and debilitating. This condition is usually caused by a disc that has become herniated or ruptured and is starting to bulge, which then presses against the nerve.

Sometimes, especially in the elderly, a culprit might be arthritis. This is due to inflamed spinal joints which creates stiffness and frequent pain. Other causes may include such things as infections of the bladder or kidney, spinal nerve disease or perhaps a sudden injury such as a fall that triggers an attack. It should be noted that it can strike people of all ages including teenagers. In fact bad backs are one of the leading causes of absenteeism in the workplace and at school.

Usually low back pain is treated with anti-inflammatory type drugs or pain killers depending on the severity of your condition. Normally this will be combined with some physical therapy or exercise. However, many people find relief by consulting with a chiropractor. This is because that if your back is not properly aligned it can create back problems. These type of doctors are specialists and have helped millions of patients through the years.

A last resort is going to be surgery. A lot of the time this will consist of removing a herniated disc or other spinal procedures which may include fusions or injections into the vertebrae. Normally back surgery has a success rate of around 80% or so and the recovery time can be quite lengthy. It can also be quite expensive depending on what type procedure you are having.

If you are someone who is suffering from chronic back problems and sleepless nights because you have constant discomfort, you should not put it off as this type of problem normally does not just go away by itself. You should see a professional as soon as you possibly can.

Pain in the lower back or low back pain is a common concern, find local chiropractor Toronto by visiting one of the leading chiropractors as well as Toronto chiropractor service providers and get yourself relieved from back pain.

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The 5 Benefits of Chiropractic Care

Chiropractic care has a lot of therapeutic benefits. From the beginning of the chiropractic therapy until now, people with chronic neck and back pain, generative disc disease and other spinal problems are experiencing an improved life with the use of safe and non-surgical chiropractic care. There are lots of benefits but the list below are just five from the many known benefits.

1. Avoidance of Surgery

After having an appointment and treatment with a professional or even with a local chiropractor, a lot of people were able to prevent surgery on their neck, back and spine. There is actually a new highly effective non-surgical alternative to surgery called the spinal decompression which is being used today for a better life.

2. Relief from Head, Neck and Back Pain

Surveys say that chronic back pain is the main reason why people miss work and physical activities. A person's life will surely be improved if he or she is able to be relieved from this kind of pain. People suffering from whiplash which was obtained from vehicular accidents were already helped by chiropractic care. Even migraine, headache and cluster can be treated through the help of a professional chiropractor.

3. Enhanced Immune System

Did you know that the immune system can also be improved with chiropractic therapy and wellness treatment? If your whole being is immune from disease, everything will work out just fine with your daily life. One of the chiropractor's philosophies is to live a healthy life, no worries, stress and pain.

4. Respiratory and Circulatory Benefits

Respiratory function can be improved as well as the lung opening if you receive treatment from chiropractor. Through chiropractic care, asthma, sinusitis, allergies and common colds can be treated. An improved blood supply or circulation to the nerve going to the heart and other coronary arteries is also an advantage.

5. Enhanced Well Being

According to scientific studies, chiropractic has said to be of great help to individuals when it comes to improving their sleep routines. It also shows that chiropractic helped people decrease their depression, stress and anxiety response.

By reading and knowing the five great advantages given by the chiropractic care, you should be of knowledge when you experience back pain, or even head pain, a chiropractor is someone to be contacted and chiropractic care is something to think about in order to feel relief and live a healthy moving life.

Looking to find more about Indianapolis chiropractic, then visit this site. To find the best advice on how to treat Indianapolis back pain the link is definitely for you.

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