As our understanding of the human body continues to grow and change, more people are turning to holistic and alternative medicines to treat pain and improve their health. Some of these approaches are based on nothing more than theory and old wives’ tales, but others are built on a foundation of scientific evidence. Chiropractic care is one of the latter types. This approach centers on the spine but also treats pain and imbalances in other parts of the body.

Wondering about the benefits of seeing a Houston chiropractor? For a look into the real science behind chiropractic medicine and what makes this practice so beneficial, keep reading.

The Spine: Your Body’s Most Vital Structure

doctor working on spineTo better understand the science of chiropractic care, let’s start with a quick anatomy lesson.

Your spine, a stack of hollow bones called ‘Vertebrae,’ is one of your body’s most crucial parts. It provides both stability and flexibility, keeps you upright, and houses the delicate nerves of your spinal cord.

Your spinal column contains a total of 33 separate bones, though the ones that make up your sacrum and coccyx (your “tailbone” area) fuse together as you grow older. On top of those, sit the five lumbar vertebrae of your lower back. Next comes the twelve thoracic vertebrae of your mid-back, and finally, the seven cervical vertebrae that make up your upper back and neck.

A healthy spine doesn’t stay straight up and down. It has a slight S-shaped arch, curving forward above your pelvis and backward near your shoulders. This shape works as a shock absorber when you walk, run, or jump, protecting your vertebrae from fractures.

Because your spine supports your entire body, it’s very susceptible to damage. Trauma, chronic stress, and even bad posture can all interfere with vertebral alignment.

You may not tell at first, but an unhealthy spine can have far-reaching effects over time. Misaligned vertebrae can cause pain, weakness, and nerve damage. You may notice that your muscles are often tight, you feel shooting pains down your limbs, or you can’t move a certain body part the way you used to.

Thankfully, you can address all of these symptoms and more by visiting a doctor of chiropractic medicine. These spinal experts understand how your body’s most vital structure impacts your health, and they’re uniquely qualified to treat a wide variety of related conditions.

How Chiropractic Care Works

When you visit a doctor for any chronic pain, they’ll often prescribe you a painkiller or muscle relaxer. These medications may help in the short term, but the pain returns if you stop taking them. Medications are also expensive and can leave you dealing with a host of side effects.

Chiropractic treatment works because it focuses on relieving your pain source, not on managing symptoms alone. Realigning your spine removes “blockages” between your brain and spinal nerves. Treating misalignments in your spine can also reduce inflammation in your body.

When nerve interference and inflammation go down, your whole being starts to feel better. Over time, chiropractic treatments can help your body begin to heal itself and recover from years of damage.

If you’re worried about whether your chiropractor knows what they’re doing, don’t be. Chiropractors are medical doctors that undergo rigorous schooling and post-graduate training. There’s no medical professional more qualified to treat chronic pain that comes from the spine.

Chiropractic Adjustment Benefits

chiropractic careResearch shows that chiropractic care works well to alleviate back problems, especially the low-back pain that plagues all of us at some point in our lives. Not only is it an effective treatment, it can also be more cost-effective than traditional doctors. Seeing a chiropractor may even keep you from having to take medicine to manage your back pain.

Adjustments can also relieve pain and compression in your upper back and neck and help herniated discs heal.

The benefits of seeing a Houston chiropractor don’t stop at your spine, though. A recent paper that reviewed 21 separate studies found that spinal manipulation can relieve Cervicogenic headaches (from the upper spine) and migraine headaches. For people who struggle with chronic headaches, seeing a chiropractor can be truly life-changing.

Chiropractic adjustments can also treat sciatica, an awful condition that sends shooting pains down your hip and leg. This pain is due to the compression of the sciatic nerve, the longest nerve in your body. By realigning the spine, your chiropractor can take the pressure off your sciatic nerve, allowing the swelling to go down.

Some patients also claim that chiropractic care helps relieve muscle pain and tightness, fibromyalgia, sinus blockage, energy levels, and low mood. Many chiropractors are also experts in nutrition, supplements, and injury recovery. Whether you need chronic pain relief or want to take a proactive approach to your health, a chiropractor can help.

Finding a Chiropractor in Houston

The science is clear, and the benefits of seeing a Houston chiropractor are abundant. Chiropractic care offers much more than the quick relief of “cracking” your back. It’s a holistic, whole-body approach that can reduce pain and improve your total wellness.

If you’re dealing with migraines, sciatica, subluxations, or other chronic pain in Houston, Franson Chiropractic can help. Dr. Brett Franson takes a unique approach to chiropractic care that helps patients just like you find freedom from the “medication merry-go-round.” Don’t let pain rule your life any longer—contact us to schedule an appointment and take the first step towards improving your relationship with your body.

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The Science Behind Chiropractic Care | Franson Chiropractor – Houston, TX