Why do some people seem to get sick so much more often than others? Is it simply due to genetics, diet, or exercise…of course they are contributing factors, but the biggest and most important factor in staving off sickness is by taking care of the system that has to continually deal with the stresses all around us. The system that I'm talking about, of course, is the nervous system.
We literally live through our nervous system. Every chemical, emotional, and physical stressor that our body is faced with is interpreted and dealt with through the nervous system. And ultimately, our body's ability to interpret, manage and process those stressors while still maintaining a normal and consistent environment is what determines our overall level of health.
Chiropractic Care for an Immune Boost in Maple Grove MN
Now, this is where chiropractic plays a critical role! Most people think that chiropractic only focuses on back or neck pain, and of course we can't argue that people do feel much better after they go to the chiropractor. However, the main goal and purpose of regular chiropractic care is to maintain a healthy spine and sound nervous system, free of interference and functioning at an optimal level.
So, let's dig a little deeper into the physiology of what happens with a misalignment of the spine or when a "vertebral subluxation" is present. When a subluxation is present this means that there is a misalignment between corresponding vertebrae within the spine. Due to the very close and delicate relationship between the vertebrae and the surrounding nerve tissue, this causes interference or irritation of the nerves; specifically as these nerves exit between the vertebrae. If you think back to your high school biology class, you may remember that there is something called the autonomic nervous system. The autonomic nervous system is that portion of the nervous system that controls the involuntary actions in the body such as breath, blinking, digestion, etc…these processes occur without us consciously having to think about them.
The autonomic system is then broken down even further into the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. The sympathetic system is responsible for the "fight or flight response" in the body and the parasympathetic system is dominant when the body is in a state of rest.
When a nerve is interfered with due to a subluxation, it causes irritation to the nerve and sends the body into a state of sympathetic dominance. This process is known as the Stress Response. During this stress response there are a number of physiological events that take place that are immunosuppressive….things like the production of hormones like epinephrine, norepinephrine, cortisol, and that's only to name a few!
The heightened awareness in this state has shifted the focus of the body from a state of regulation to a state of survival! The events occurring within the body are no longer focused on immunity. Ultimately a decreased immune response leads to an increased amount of sickness and disease. This is why chiropractic is so valuable, not only for pain relief, but affecting an individual all the way down to the physiology of each individual cell.
A skilled chiropractor at our Maple Grove chiropractic office will be able to detect and correct vertebral subluxations and allow your body to remain in a state of balance. There truly is no better place than the team at Total Spine Health and Injury Center.
Check out our website at www.totalspinemn.com or call us at (763) 568-7869 for more information on how chiropractic can benefit you, and give your immune system the boost it needs!