Chiropractic Care May Help With Stress
By Paul Rothbart
Stress in life is a given. There is no avoiding it. In fact, some stress is actually good for us. It can be a motivating factor and aids in healing. But there is plenty of negative stress. It has a damaging effect on both physical and mental health, causing anxiety, loss of sleep and pain. Left unchecked, stress can cause serious problems. Fortunately, there are effective ways to manage and minimize stress. Here are some facts about stress and how to deal with it.
The Stress Cycle
When a body is in pain, it naturally tries to heal itself. This causes stress, which is the beginning of the healing process. But often, due the difficulties of life, stress lasts. The mental stress causes more physical pain, but the body uses stress to heal, which creates mental stress, and so on. It is a cycle that can last a long time and cause chronic pain and anxiety. The cycle can also start from a mental standpoint. In today's technological world, we have access to news and information constantly. All this data assaulting from screens can activate the body's "fight or flight" response and cause considerable stress. This causes tension in the body that leads to pain.
Stopping the Cycle
In order to stop the cycle, we can attack it at both starting points. Mentally, spending less time on the phone or in front of the computer, perusing social media, can reduce anxiety. Seeking the help of others to come up with solutions to problems is also helpful. From a physical standpoint, exercise, a healthy diet, and good sleep is very helpful. Good posture also reduces stress. Pain signals travel along the spinal cord to the brain. Any misalignment or other problems in the spinal column, can cause pain and lead to the start of the stress cycle. This is where chiropractic care comes in.
How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Since pain is transmitted through the spinal cord and problems there increase stress, it makes sense that treating the spine would help reduce stress. A chiropractor is trained to make adjustments that align the spine and treat muscles and joints. This can greatly reduce pain in those areas. Less pain, less stress, and the cycle is halted. Regular chiropractic care may play a significant role in reducing stress to make it more manageable.
Life without stress is not possible. Some stress is beneficial. Negative effects of stress can be minimized by leading a healthy lifestyle. Stopping in at The Joint Chiropractic may lead to regular care which can also aid in the fight against stress.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Jacksonville, N.C.