Benefits of Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic medicine has the ability to transform lives through customized care. A good practitioner treats acute pain as well as overall wellness, improving your physical and mental state. Despite strong evidence supporting chiropractic care, there is still some skepticism about its results. Harvard Medicine, the American College of Physicians and many more prestigious organizations have encouraged the use of chiropractic care and spinal manipulation. That’s why with this article, we’re focusing on specific benefits to chiropractic care.
It should be noted that treatments from a chiropractor often involve more than spinal manipulation. Many areas of the body can be treated including issues with bones, cartilage, connective tissue, joints and muscles. Treatments may also be centered around the brain (such as migraines), lungs (such as asthma), and reproductive organs (such as cramps).
NECK PAIN
Whether you woke up with an exaggerated kink in the neck, or have been dealing with an on-going injury, chiropractic care has a 96% success rate with neck pain. The National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) published a study that showed only 4% of recipients rated their chiropractic care for their neck as “less than satisfactory”.
These clinical studies demonstrated that chiropractic adjustments led to a faster recovery than patients only seeking physio or general practitioner care.
HEADACHE AND MIGRAINE RELIEF
Tension headaches and migraines are often treated or managed by chiropractors. Few interventions can bring on relief naturally, without drugs like a chiropractic adjustment can. Not only do many patients feel the pain dissipate almost immediately, but it’s been proven that six to eight sessions of upper thoracic spine manipulations can prevent the pain from returning.
FROZEN SHOULDER
It’s impressive to see the success rate of chiropractic care on frozen shoulders. During a research study by NCBI, of men and women between 40-70, they were able to see how much pain is reduced after a treatment.
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst, on average, patients rated their frozen shoulder pain 9/10. After treatment, the average pain rating dropped to 2/10. It took an average of four weeks to find permanent relief.
SCOLIOSIS SYMPTOMS
It’s not a cure for scoliosis, however chiropractic adjustments have been proven to decrease pain related to Scoliosis, as well as preventing further degradation of the spine. When the National Institutes of Health completed a study on improving scoliosis in children, they found that noticeable improvements were seen in four weeks.
FORGOING OPIOIDS
While the above benefits focus entirely on pain relief, there is another beneficial factor to chiropractic care, reducing reliance on opioids. Last year the National Institutes of Health completed a study on opioid use in patients with back pain and found that patients who sought chiropractor care within one month of the injury had half the risk of filling an opioid prescription.
IMPROVED ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
Due to increased joint mobility, reduced pain and minimal tissue restriction, many athletes have noticed they perform better after a spinal adjustment. Studies are currently underway to determine if the improvements are in all athletes or those recovering from an injury.
In the meantime many professional sports organizations keep a certified chiropractor on staff, providing players with continuous access to adjustments and assistance with stretches and other exercises. Coaches and team doctors report improvements in athletic performance due to reduced inflammatory cytokines, enhanced pulmonary function, boosted immune system, muscle tension relief, and increased energy levels.
Dr. B.J. Hardick is a Doctor of Chiropractic and internationally-recognized natural health author and speaker. His health journey began as a child — alternative medicine is the only medicine he has ever known. In 2009, he authored his first book, Maximized Living Nutrition Plans. In 2018, he authored his second book, Align Your Health. An energizing and passionate speaker, Dr. Hardick shares his lifestyle methods to numerous professional and public audiences every year in the United States and Canada. His teachings encompass the principles of ancestral nutrition, detoxification, functional fitness, mindfulness, and green living.