5 Signs You Need to See a Chiropractor

Did you know that millions of people all around the world unnecessarily suffer from untreated pain? Pain that goes untreated can have severe implications for both your physical and mental health. A study from the University of Florida showed that pain left untreated can even make your brain age more rapidly which can increase your risk of neurological disorders. Much like how a car needs continuous maintenance to function optimally, our spines do as well to both correct and prevent pain! Regular spine maintenance is so important considering all of the day-to-day stress our bodies endure. If you’re experiencing any of the following 5 signs, your body may be trying to communicate to you that you might be due for some tending to and you should consider visiting a chiropractor.

Sign #1. Frequent Headaches

Headaches are a major tell-tale sign that your body is trying to communicate that something is wrong! Headaches are a result of stress- physical, emotional, or chemical stress. A chiropractor can help you identify which type of stress is causing your headaches. Additionally, misalignments in your spine can contribute greatly to headaches. A chiropractor will do a comprehensive examination of your spine, and nervous system, identify any misalignments and work with you to develop a care plan to address the root cause of your headaches. Chiropractic is a safe, effective, drug free way to manage headaches!

Sign #2: Constant Neck Pain & Tension

Did you know that most adults can expect to experience neck pain at some point during their lifetime? Neck pain should be investigated to rule out an injury, a congenital malformation, or a serious disease. Often our pain is from a spinal dysfunction.  Prolonged or recurrent neck pain is often caused by joint or nerve irritation.  Spinal vertebrae can become misaligned causing limited or altered mobility making the sensory or motor nerves irritated or possibly damaged.  

Sign #3: Recurrent Low Back Pain 

The prevalence of low back pain has increased so much in recent years. It has been said that “sitting is the new smoking” and it’s harder and harder for people to stay active and move in our busy, computer-centric world.This is when the person is sitting with proper posture! If they are even slightly slouching or not engaging their core correctly that pressure increases further, putting unnecessary pressure on the spinal joints and discs causing pain and putting you at high risk of joint disease (DJD) or osteoarthritis and to disc degeneration disease (DDD). Proper body mechanics can prevent low back pain from emerging and can help reduce the likelihood of osteoarthritis and DDD. Chiropractors have technology that allows them to painlessly evaluate and effectively find the cause of your back pain and see how it may already be affecting your health

Sign #4: Stiffness and Decrease Mobility

Does your spine feel stiff when you move? Do you feel as though you aren’t as flexible as you once were? New research has recently shown that chiropractors are very good at figuring out which segments of your spine are the most restricted or stuck. They can adjust the spine with the aim of helping your brain to better control your body. Scientists have shown that chiropractic adjustments can have a big effect on how well your spine moves. And they’ve also shown that chiropractic adjustments can help your brain to process information more quickly, know better where your body is in space and control the way your muscles work more efficiently. 

Sign #5: You Have Pain In Your Feet

Our feet carry a lot of weight, and if they are not properly supported, many issues can arise down the road. Your feet are a complex system of 52 bones, 66 joints, 214 ligaments and 38 tendons and muscles. The weight-bearing nature and repetitive use of the feet predispose them for skeletal misalignment and painful overuse conditions. It seems reasonable then that even the slightest imbalance can cause multiple aches and pains in the rest of your body.  Walking upon an unbalanced spine can also cause poor biomechanics of the hips, knees and feet, resulting in foot cramping and pain as there is a kinetic chain that begins at your toes and makes its way up through your body to your skull. Your foot and ankle joints are the first links in this chain. Some of the most common causes of foot pain include Plantar Fasciitis, Metatarsalgia,Tarsal Tunnel Syndrome. This is why proper body biomechanics are important all along the kinetic chain. If any of the 5 signs apply to you, do not leave your pain unattended! Chiropractors are trained to care for a multitude of problems and help prevent injuries that could inhibit your enjoyment of daily life. Don’t wait for your symptoms to become unmanageable! Book an appointment today to experience the benefits of chiropractic and get back to your optimal self!

References: 

Chronic pain is associated with a brain aging biomarker in c… : PAIN (lww.com) Untreated Pain, Narcotics Regulation, and Global Health Ideologies (plos.org) Haavik Taylor H, Holt K, Murphy B. Exploring the neuromodulatory effects on the vertebral subluxation and chiropractic care. Chiropr J Aust 2010;40(1):37-44. Branney J, Breen AC. Does inter-vertebra range of motion increase after spinal manipulation? A prospective cohort study. Chiropr Man Therap 2014;22:24. Holt KR, Haavik H, Lee AC, et al. Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care to Improve Sensorimotor Function Associated With Falls Risk in Older People: A Randomized Controlled Trial. J Manipulative Ther 2016