Stress, anxiety, and tension don’t go away for the holiday season. In fact, for some people, the holidays themselves create stress and tension. These are conditions that come with all sorts of unwanted side effects, from back pain and muscle tightness to headaches, neck pain, and fatigue. But you have options beyond gritting it out until the New Year. Here’s how chiropractic relieves stress and tension.
CHIROPRACTIC ADJUSTMENTS & STRESS
There’s no question that stress is bad for the body. In addition to the physical discomfort, chronic stress can lower the immune system, making you more susceptible to illness. So how can chiropractic are help? Keep in mind that the spine works closely with the nervous system, with messages from the brain traveling via this spinal switchboard on their way to different parts of the body. Working on and around the spinal column can help ensure communication is functioning properly. But it can also alleviate symptoms of stress, which creates tension in the muscles. It’s not uncommon for someone who is under a great deal of stress to unconsciously hold themselves in unnatural positions, like clenched shoulders or a head or hip tilt. This creates pressure that weighs on the body, pushing it out of alignment and creating discomfort.
Stress also affects nerve function, which can result in numbness or shooting pain. A dysfunctional nervous system also triggers the fight or flight response, putting people in a heightened state of anxiety. Adjustments can release muscle tension and re-align the body, which relaxes muscles, restores proper movement, and increases blood circulation. This release, realignment, and relaxation can all help soothe the nervous system and soothe the fight or flight response in the body.
For someone who has been in pain, the absence of pain from both adjustments and techniques like percussive and massage therapy can have an immediate positive effect on emotional stress. At Dr. McSweeney’s holistic chiropractic office, she uses a variety of techniques to relieve tension and return the body to a natural state of alignment. She can also advise on proper nutrition to address any deficiencies, like vitamin B, that could be affecting the body’s fight or flight response, as well as stretches, exercises, and proper posture to keep the body strong.
If addressing stress is something you need to do, schedule a visit with Dr. McSweeney or Dr. Allen today, and see what a difference an aligned body can make.