Chiropractic Care
Spinal
Manipulative Therapy is synonymous with Chiropractic, and is a study of
the interrelations of bones, joints, and the nervous system. Spinal Manipulation
is often used to “make us feel better”, but it is also very
important in keeping our nervous system healthy. All the joints in the
body (both ours and our pets’) have nerves in them called proprioceptors
which give very important information to the brain about the body’s
balance and movement. If our spinal joints are not moving properly, they
will not stimulate these proprioceptors and the information sent to the
brain and nervous system is reduced. Each of these proprioceptors in the
body connects with thousands of other nerves, so reduction of the functioning
of one area can affect many other areas. The outer covering of the spinal
cord is called the Dura Mater (“tough mother”), and protects
the spinal cord by spreading out or dispersing any pressures on it. The
Dura Mater is so tough, it can hold up your car! If there is pressure
on the spinal cord, say a herniated vertebral disc, the Dura Mater will
spread that pressure over the length of the rest of the spinal cord. By
releasing these seemingly-unrelated other areas with spinal manipulation
(adjustments), a chiropractor can help alleviate the pressure on the area
of the herniated disc and improve clinical symptoms and pain.
Since everything in the body is controlled by the spinal cord and nervous
system, many other body functions can be affected by a nervous system
that is not functioning to its capacity. Very little pressure is required
to change the electronic (axoplasmic) flow of a nerve – about 10
mmHg or the weight of two nickels. If a spinal segment is not moving well
and putting pressure on a nerve root, everything in the body supplied
by that root is affected. Even the immune system’s function can
be stressed if the nervous system is stressed.
Common
benefits of spinal manipulative therapy include:
- Increased mobility and muscle strength
- Decrease in allergies
- Skin and dermatological improvement
- Decreased irritability and increased contentment
- Better immune system functioning