Why Chiropractic

Chiropractic is a healing art that focuses on the ability of the body to heal itself. Because of this, chiropractic can benefit everyone, not just those suffering from low back pain and headaches. Many people find relief from conditions such as colds, ear infections, PMS, spinal or disc problems, arthritis, insomnia, stress, vision problems, headaches, allergies, bed-wetting, colic, high blood pressure and improper organ function. The list is long!

The goal of chiropractic is not to treat disease. Chiropractic is a system of removing misalignments in the bones of the spine called subluxations. Subluxations can not only cause back pain and headaches but also interfere with the ability of the body to function in many other ways, sometimes showing up as disease. Because subluxations can interfere with the proper function of the body and cause disease; chiropractic care to correct subluxations often has a positive effect in reducing or even eliminating many health problems.

How Subluxations Cause Disease

The human spine is a stack of 24 movable bones called vertebrae that are joined by soft tissue called disks. The spine has two main functions:

  • The first function of the spine is to mechanically support body weight. This mechanical or orthopedic function is very important to our ability to live normally. Without a flexible spine we could not bend, twist, or even balance to stand upright.

  • The second major function of the spine is to protect the delicate spinal cord. The spinal cord is an extension of the brain that travels down though the center of the spine, carrying millions of messages to and from the brain every minute of every day. Peripheral nerves connect the spinal cord to the organs and muscles of the body and exit the spine through openings between the vertebrae called foramen. Without a proper nerve supply regulating and coordinating body systems, optimal health cannot be achieved. This is the neurological function of the spine.

When one of the bones of the spine becomes misaligned or subluxated, it affects both the mechanical and neurological functions of the spine. Mechanically it changes the ability of the spine to support weight and uncorrected subluxations can lead to arthritis and disk problems. Neurologically subluxations can alter the size of the foramen between the vertebrae and compress the tissue surrounding the delicate nerves that travel through them. This pressure can interfere with the ability of the brain to regulate organ systems and cause disease. Because pain is one of the last signs of nerve compression it is often not present even when there are significant subluxations.

Chiropractic Is For Everyone

Because chiropractic helps the body to function better, many people experience positive changes in their health even if they are not noticeably sick or in pain. For many the change is an increase in energy levels, a reduction in stress, or just an overall sense of well-being. Most people think of health as a black and white thing; someone is either sick or they are not. Nothing could be further from the truth. Nearly everyone has subluxations to one degree or another and these subluxations are effecting how their body functions, whether they are aware of it or not.

Chiropractic can also help those who are suffering from back pain or recovering from traumatic injuries by improving the mechanical and neurological function of the spine.  Correcting subluxations can not only speed healing but it also helps to ensure CORRECT healing.  

Whether you are recovering from a traumatic injury or just wanting your body to function at its fullest, Bellwood Family Chiropracitc is there for you.