Can You Feel Sick After an Adjustment?
By Sara Butler
When you visit your chiropractor they are attempting to treat problems associated with your nervous system, skeletal structure, and muscles. The kind of treatment they offer is all hands-on – without the aid of drugs or surgery. The American Chiropractic Association declares chiropractic to be safe, but that isn’t to say that treatment may not cause some temporary side effects – and nausea is one of those. If you’ve ever felt a bit nauseous after an adjustment, you are not alone. Here’s why you might feel a little sick to your stomach after a visit to your chiropractor -- but don't worry about it, you'll be better in the long run.
What is Nausea?
Nausea is a reaction your stomach has that makes you feel like you want to throw up. It doesn’t always lead to getting sick, though. People suffer from nausea for many reasons, including motion sickness from riding in a boat or car, eating something that isn’t fresh, or being pregnant.
The Chiropractic Connection
According to the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, nausea impacts only about 5 percent of chiropractic patients. So, there’s not a great chance you’ll suffer from nausea after an adjustment. If you do experience it, just know it’s not the result of anything being wrong – it’s just the way your body has reacted to the spinal manipulation.
Why You Might Feel Nauseous
If you think about it, your spine can hold on to a lot of tension, toxins, and stress. When your spine is treated by your chiropractor, the release of all of the things that have built up over time may be a shock to your system and the way you react to it may be to feel sick.
How to Reduce Nausea after an Adjustment
If you ever have a reaction such as nausea, light-headedness or dizziness after an adjustment, you should bring it to the attention of your chiropractor. You should also make sure you take your time when getting up from the table so it doesn’t cause a sudden rush of blood to your head. At home, you should try to lie down and perhaps sip on some ginger ale or ginger tea to calm your stomach. The nausea will eventually subside and you’ll be ready to go again.
Don’t Worry, Chiropractic is Safe
If you’re worried about side effects from chiropractic treatment, you shouldn’t be concerned. There has been a lot of time invested in studying the safety of chiropractic and it has been found to be very safe and effective in the treatment of a variety of conditions. The National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine acknowledges that chiropractic may result in temporary but minor side effects such as nausea, but they aren’t anything you should be concerned about.
If you’re worried about possible side effects, you should discuss them with your chiropractor during your next adjustment at The Joint Chiropractic.