Chronic Pain

Many of us are blissfully unaware of our spines: after all, it’s not like our teeth or complexion, staring us in the face every time we look in the mirror. It’s only after we suffer a back injury do we find out that our spinal health affects everything we do. Eighty-percent of Americans will experience a back problem at some point in their lives; they may also experience TMJ, migraines, neck pain, and sciatica. But why? There are many reasons, and they may explain why so many people are addicted to pain killers. According to recent studies, opioid analgesics (pain relievers) are the culprit in the vast majority of US overdose deaths. An analysis conducted by investigators at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta, Georgia, showed that 75.2% of pharmaceutical deaths involved opioids, either alone or in combination with other drugs. The question remains, what can we do about it? The answers to these questions often lie with our nervous system.

Your Nerves

The nervous system controls the whole body. The spine contains the spinal cord, which is the relay system for the brain and all areas of the body, including the nerves. Think of your spine as a “switchboard” that turns nerves in the “on” position. If for any reason your spine gets "tweeked”, your nerves will not function properly. Spinal misalignments cause nerve pressure (short circuits) in your nervous system that, if left untreated, result in persistent pain.

Some people are born with misalignments - perhaps caused by the mechanical force of delivery. Others sustained spinal misalignments during childhood falls. The important thing to remember is that both children and adults are impacted by stress, which can in turn affect their spines and nervous systems. However, since we do not see this effect, we do not think about it. Like coronary arteries that continue to function, without symptoms, even when 90 percent occluded, the spine can function without pain despite nerve interference.

Your spine also affects the circulation, or blood flow, through the arteries adjacent to those nerves. In addition, it affects the energy pathways of the body that are concentrated alongside it; therefore, it’s easy to see why when the spine is misaligned, the nerves, circulation and energy centers are also out of whack. The good news is, the resulting pain is a circuit that can be alleviated with proper spinal corrections; it can even restore 100 percent function. Basically, spinal—or chiropractic--care uses the backbones as levers to correct a faulty circuit; of course, there is much more to resetting the spine than just neck or back pain.
The Facts:
Physical deterioration, as well as spinal decay, can affect everyone after age 30.
You can have spinal decay without knowing it.
Gravity is a continuous source of compression on the spine.
Pain is a symptom, not the cause; therefore medication often only treats the symptoms.
Spinal nerve interference is always present with disease.

Once you understand the connection between the spine, nerves, circulation and energy circuits, you will realize the benefits of spinal care. Spinal alignments counteract the effects of gravity, increases blood flow and nerve supply to your internal organs.

Spinal Care Relieves Pain

Spinal care is more than a quick fix, but an ongoing maintenance program. Like exercise, you must be consistent or you will not realize its full benefits. If you stop exercising altogether, it is only a matter of time before you feel less energetic and fit. Spinal care, when continued long term, also enhances the quality of your life; when done sporadically, you may not achieve the desired results.

If you are experiencing an acute infection or health emergency, you visit your primary physician. When you are experiencing pain as a result of the signal malfunction in an otherwise normal body, you visit your chiropractor. He or she will reset the spinal switchboard, release stress, halt dysfunction, and eliminate pain.

Chiropractic spinal care should be included in any comprehensive pain relief and preventative care strategy. Presently, chiropractic is offered in 400 hospitals nationwide.