Chiropractic adjustments involve the manipulation of spinal joints to reduce their interference with nerve function. This helps ease pain and improve overall body function.

A chiropractor uses controlled pressure to manipulate your neck or back joints, which causes them to make a popping or cracking sound. This is due to the release of gas bubbles between the bones.

1. Relieves Pain

Chiropractic adjustments, also known as spinal manipulations, involve a skilled application of controlled force to the spine or other joints to correct misalignments and dysfunctions. A sudden, precise thrust is used to help reestablish joint function, alleviate pain and enhance overall mobility. You may hear a popping or cracking sound during treatment; this is normal and is caused by the release of gasses in joint spaces.

Misaligned or dysfunctional spinal segments can interfere with the nervous system, which controls most functions in your body. Chiropractic adjustments can reduce subluxation, enabling your nervous system to work more effectively and relieve pain.

Inflammation often accompanies spinal misalignments. Inflammation slows down the healing process, causing pain and discomfort. Chiropractic adjustments can reduce inflammation by restoring proper alignment and improving circulation. They can also relax tense muscles and stimulate the nervous system to release endorphins, natural chemicals that act as natural painkillers. Chiro Parkdale understands the impact of spinal health on inflammation and takes a patient-centered approach to care, taking time to understand your symptoms and medical history. They also use diagnostic tests like palpation, posture analysis, x-rays, and MRIs to identify areas that need adjustment.

2. Increases Range of Motion

A chiropractorcan help you move better by realigning joints, loosening and releasing tight muscles, ligaments, and tendons. The treatment also improves the connective tissue that surrounds and supports muscles (fascia), making movement easier.

They can also perform a chiropractic manipulation, or spinal manipulation, on the spine and other joints throughout the body, including the head and jaw, shoulders, elbows and wrists, knees and ankles. This type of treatment involves the use of hands or a small instrument to deliver a quick burst of pressure on a joint, often resulting in a popping or cracking sound.

The aforementioned quick, precise thrusts are designed to restore proper alignment and improve the function of the joint. Research, such as a 2019 study published in the journal Osteoarthritis and Cartilage, shows that spinal manipulation may decrease neck pain over time by lowering levels of neuropeptides, proteins made by your nervous system that act as hormones or neurotransmitters. These findings demonstrate that repeated treatments can reduce your reliance on opioid medications for pain relief. A large 2020 study found that adults who visit a chiropractor get lower prescriptions for opioids for pain than those who only see their doctors.

3. Relieves Headaches

If you’re like millions of other people who suffer from headaches on a regular basis, it’s time to get help. Instead of masking your pain with medication, let a chiropractor identify and treat the underlying cause.

One of the most common causes of headaches is a misalignment in the spine. Chiropractors can use spinal adjustments to relieve the pressure on nerves and blood vessels that run through the neck and head. This can significantly reduce the frequency and severity of your headaches.

Another cause of headaches is a pinched nerve in the lower back (cauda equina syndrome). This can also be alleviated through chiropractic treatments, such as spinal manipulation.

A chiropractic adjustment can also be effective for a sinus headache, which is a type of headache that occurs when the sinuses are filled with fluid. Chiropractors can use a variety of techniques to help relieve your sinus headache, including physical massage and trigger point therapy. They may also use a technique called cranial manipulation, which involves applying gentle pressure to the skull and neck.

4. Increases Immune System Function

With the flu season in full swing, you might find yourself wiping down every surface in your home and office – but that doesn’t mean you’re safe from getting sick. No matter how much you sanitize, it’s important to boost your immune system with additional support to help prevent disease and infection.

Your immune system and nervous system share a strong connection, with each influencing the performance of the other. When the spine (which houses the spinal cord) is damaged or misaligned, communication between the two systems becomes interrupted, which can affect immune function. Chiropractic adjustments correct spinal misalignments and restore optimal nervous system function. This allows the body to naturally fight infection and illness, strengthening the immune system and preventing future injuries.

Additionally, chiropractic care can improve lymphatic drainage, which is vital for immune health. This is because the lymphatic system carries fluid filled with white blood cells that combat infections throughout the body. When the spine is in alignment, it promotes this circulation, which can aid in eliminating waste and toxins, as well as providing a steady supply of white blood cells where they are needed most.

5. Improves Breathing

Breathing is a vital function that transports oxygen to your body and extremities. If you have a breathing problem, it can make you feel tired and lethargic or cause headaches.

Getting adjusted by a chiropractor helps improve your breathing by adjusting and mobilizing the joints to decrease pressure and increase function. This also relieves tight muscles and releases tension in the connective tissue surrounding your muscles (fascia).

If you suffer from asthma, chiropractic adjustments can help by releasing the muscle tension around the chest and neck that causes airways to constrict. It can also help by improving posture and encouraging deep breathing that increases circulation which promotes healing and reduces pain, fatigue and congestion.

You may hear cracking or popping sounds during treatment, this is normal and results from the release of gasses in joint spaces. Chiropractic treatments are safe for most people, but it’s always best to speak with your medical doctor before seeking chiropractic care. They can let you know if spinal manipulation is a good option for your condition and if you have any pre-existing conditions that would increase the risk of complications.