Brain Body Connection
According to the National Center for Complimentary and Integrative Health, more Americans are visiting a chiropractor than ever before. The American Chiropractic Association estimates that over 35 million Americans visit a chiropractor annually.
A chiropractor is a licensed health care professional who emphasizes the body’s ability to heal itself. Patient care is approached with a similar method to conventional medicine; Chiropractors interview the patient, obtain a detailed health history, perform an examination, perform tests, and develop a working diagnosis. A management plan is created and the patient’s progress is monitored throughout care.
In 1997, the Association of Chiropractic Colleges, representing 16 North American chiropractic colleges, reached a consensus that stated:
Chiropractic is concerned with the preservation and restoration of health and focuses particular attention on the subluxation (a slight misalignment of the vertebrae) that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health.
The connection of the brain to the rest of the body is the most vital to our existence. Our brain will continuously communicate at a very high speed (over 200 mph) to our spine, down to our nerves, and out to all our organs.
This communication highway is vital for our organs to function at optimal capacity and promote constant healing, continually fighting disease.
Communication is Key
Science supports chiropractic care for many conditions. A short list would include: headaches, migraines, fibromyalgia, neck and shoulder pain, back pain, carpal tunnel, ear infections, sinus, fatigue etc.
Science explains that your brain is the most vital organ in the body, communicating with your spine which runs through the center of your body. This communication travels down the spine and is coordinated by your nervous system; your spine allows each component of your body to work in harmony. Science dictates that to achieve optimal health and performance, we need to keep the spine and nervous system free of structural interferences that everyday stressors create. Creating a priority for spinal alignment can unlock your body’s natural potential for health and healing.
With the primary focus on the spine, a chiropractic approach is typically holistic and encompasses the entire body by helping the body improve function and activating your body’s natural healing ability. When your body functions poorly on the inside, it typically will not respond well to good nutrition, exercise, etc. Allowing the body to fully communicate from the brain, down the spine, out to the nerves and then to the organs, will promote optimal health and function. When this occurs, that is when diet, exercise and the mind/body connection will provide optimal performance.
Understanding how our body functions is key to following a path to healing. The consensus is that chiropractic care is described with two basic premises:
Spinal misalignments (subluxations) which impinge spinal nerves cause an imbalance in nerve output which can create an unhealthy situation and possibly a dis-ease state in the body.
The goal is to remove these subluxations with spinal “adjustments.” Chiropractors are among the world’s most highly trained in these skills and the care typically does not revolve around prescription pharmaceutical products and surgery.
Subsequently, we agree with an excerpt from an article written by Dr. Michael Pardun, DC, when he explains that “A bad back or neck will literally give you a bad brain....because many people suffer from undetected spinal imbalance and misalignments...nutrients are not delivered to the brain in the right quantity and quality. A poor spine-brain connection has been the cause of the average brain beginning to atrophy (shrink and deteriorate) ....” The brain keeps the body moving and functioning, but the nutrients that are produced by your body through eating, drinking, breathing, cellular function, keep the brain in a state of developing and moving forward.