We’re smack in the middle of a terrible cold and flu season – even the dogs are dealing with it! People are slathering on hand sanitizer, dosing up on nutritional supplements and wondering what else they can do to stay healthy. If you’re one of them, have you considered visiting the chiropractor? You may associate the chiropractor with back and neck pain care, but here’s how chiropractic care helps the immune system.
The Spine & The Immune System
The immune system is your body’s defense against viral and bacterial invaders, and its health and function is directly related to things like nutrition, exercise, rest, and notably, a healthy spine.
The nervous system is intrinsically linked to the spine, and it works with the immune system so that the body can adapt to changing conditions and promote healing as necessary. Spinal misalignments both compress and irritate nerve pathways that affect organ systems, creating stress in the body. The result? A weakened immune system, which can put us at increased risk during cold and flu seasons like the one we’re in right now.
A chiropractor’s adjustments can restore proper alignment, reducing neural dysfunction and allowing the immune system to function optimally.
Nervous System Function
The nervous system has a direct impact on every other system in the body, including the immune system. Immune organs – the spleen, the thymus and the lymph nodes – communicate with the brain with nerves that connect them all. This communication creates a coordinated response to anything that affects the body. When this communication is compromised, our health is likewise compromised. That’s why immune function is directly related to nervous system function. Without a properly functioning nervous system, we’re more likely to fall ill to viruses and bacteria that we might otherwise be able to fight off.
Chiropractic Care Can Help
Correcting spinal misalignments to keep your nervous system and immune system functioning optimally is a worthwhile preventative measure anytime, but particularly now. Studies have shown that the impact is quick, with white blood cell count increasing dramatically within just a few minutes.
Make sure you’re getting enough vitamins C and D, limiting sugar, and getting plenty of rest to stay healthy this cold and flu season. And if you’d like to hedge your bets with a visit to Dr. McSweeney here in Reno, that’s probably a good idea too. Stay healthy out there!