Feel like you’re losing your mind sometimes? Chiropractic is a natural way to optimize brain function. While we are often told to maintain muscular strength as we age, it is far more important to maintain the function of our nervous system via the spinal cord to reduce atrophy. Being young at heart is great, but let’s be “young in the brain!”
First, a brief recap of your amazing anatomy.
Your nervous system is the master system, sending out signals to every part of your body, from organs to glands and muscles. Its main pathway is the spinal cord, protected by vertebrae.
When your body experiences stress, be it physical, mental, or emotional, it can cause the vertebrae to put pressure on the nerve roots, causing or contributing to interference in nerve communication.
Dysfunction in the nervous system can cause nerve signals to slow down or become unclear, disrupting any number of bodily processes.
Symptoms of decreased brain function can include:
- Brain fog
- Difficulty focusing
- Reduced or lost reflexes
- Reduced or lost sensation
- Memory issues
- ADD & ADHD
- Depression and anxiety
Specific chiropractic adjustments remove the interference in the nervous system, allowing the body to function at its highest levels, to heal and repair itself.
While people may say, “it’s hard to teach an old dog new tricks,” it’s actually not based on neuroscience.
While patterns do become ingrained in our circuitry, we can also create new pathways and synapses throughout our lives.
For years, researchers have studied how the brain is designed to adapt and change – this is called neuroplasticity. There’s a lot we can do to increase nervous system function and improve neuroplasticity.
How Chiropractic Improves Brain Function
It begins with movement. We are meant to be in motion! When our joints are restricted, there is actually less nutrition coming into the tissues and less waste going out.
It’s especially vital to get our spine moving.
“90% of the stimulation and nutrition to the brain is generated by the movement of the spine,” says Dr. Roger Sperry. (Nobel Prize recipient for brain research.) A well-nourished brain is healthier and better able to manage autonomic and cognitive functions.
A study published in Neural Plasticity, in 2016 found that just one chiropractic adjustment improved the processing of sensory information in the brain.
A chiropractic adjustment not only moves the spine but ensures that each segment can continue to move as intended throughout your day.
When there’s a clear body-brain connection, and the nervous system is able to communicate clearly, it also can affect your mental health.
A 2020 Acta Biomedica article found that chiropractic helped to regulate the autonomic nervous system, helping to calm the over-activation of the sympathetic nervous system, which can cause depression.
Improve Brain Function Now
Don’t wait until you start seeing signs or symptoms of a problem! We teach children at a young age to begin brushing and flossing their teeth. We don’t wait until they may need dentures to begin oral hygiene.
Now imagine a joint that hasn’t been able to move properly for years. The longer a joint is restricted or misaligned joint, the more degeneration, and arthritis is likely to occur. This further increases inflammation and nerve dysfunction.
Whatever your age, we’ll give your spine a thorough evaluation and see how chiropractic can benefit you. The best time to start chiropractic care is birth – the second best time is now.
Learn more about Dr. Bruce’s technique here.
Get started with excellent Chiropractic Care in Garner, NC
Call us at (919)-661-2225 for an appointment. We’re excited to help you get back to doing the things that are important to you!
When our office is closed, please call our New Patient Hotline at (984) 286-0449
What Schneider Chiropractic & Wellness patients say about our chiropractic techniques…
“I started going to Dr. Schneider for a pain in my right shoulder that was affecting my ability to concentrate at work. I no longer have that pain thanks to Dr. Schneider! Since then he has helped me with my overall health and also with dizziness I occasionally have.
I also had a car wreck and thought I had major bruising, but Dr. Bruce adjusted me and it turns out my sternum was out of place and now the pain is gone! He is excellent. I highly recommend Schneider chiropractic!” Pam P.
References:
- “Aging changes in the nervous system” MedlinePlus – https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/004023.htm
- Dina Lelic, Imran Khan Niazi, Kelly Holt, Mads Jochumsen, Kim Dremstrup, Paul Yielder, Bernadette Murphy, Asbjørn Mohr Drewes, Heidi Haavik, “Manipulation of Dysfunctional Spinal Joints Affects Sensorimotor Integration in the Prefrontal Cortex: A Brain Source Localization Study”, Neural Plasticity, vol. 2016, Article ID 3704964, 9 pages, 2016. https://doi.org/10.1155/2016/3704964
- Kiani AK, Maltese PE, Dautaj A, Paolacci S, Kurti D, Picotti PM, Bertelli M. Neurobiological basis of chiropractic manipulative treatment of the spine in the care of major depression. Acta Biomed. 2020 Nov 9;91(13-S):e2020006. doi: 10.23750/abm.v91i13-S.10536. PMID: 33170171; PMCID: PMC8023121. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8023121/