“Have you tried chiropractic?”
The chiropractic profession was founded by D.D. Palmer in the late 1800s. We won’t go into specifics, but the history of the profession is a bit of a rollercoaster and shaped much of the perception of the profession today. Fortunately, in recent years, chiropractic has been getting the recognition it deserves as an effective approach for musculoskeletal conditions, specifically low back pain and neck pain. In 2017, publications from the Journal of the American Medical Association and American College of Physicians supported the use of spinal manipulative therapy as a treatment for low back pain. This was a huge win! However, the benefits of chiropractic go well beyond relief of low back and neck pain.
Some of the other reasons that people seek chiropractic care include headaches, shoulder pain, knee pain, jaw pain, immune support, stress & anxiety support, pregnancy and post-partum support, digestion support and the list goes on. “How would getting my back “cracked” help with digestion?,” you ask. One of the foundational principles of chiropractic is: The nervous system controls and regulates all other body systems. When we stimulate certain areas of the nervous system that innervate other body systems, we may see improvement in function of that system. For example, many parents report their baby having a blowout (💩) quickly following an adjustment when they have been struggling with constipation (you’ve been warned!). Another example of this is sinus congestion, many people report relief of their congestion almost immediately following stimulation of the nerves that innervate the face.
There are many different ways we can stimulate the nervous system: tapping, vibration, percussion, electrical stimulation, sustained pressure, needling (acupuncture or dry needling), and joint manipulation. This explains why there are so many different chiropractic techniques and why low force adjustment techniques can work just as well as more manual techniques. What does this mean for you? Well, if you’re nervous about having your neck “cracked” or you curious about dry needling but scared of needles, we can find a technique that suits your needs. So, next time you’re feeling congested or your baby won’t 💩, give chiropractic a try.
