What Does the Science Tell Us About Spinal Adjustments?

By Dr. Tim Fargo, Chiropractor

It is one thing to experience the relief that an adjustment can bring, and that is plenty for most folks, but what does the research say about how adjustments work? First of all, the effects of spinal adjustments fall into several categories.  Adjustments, quite obviously, improve the movement of the vertebrae (spinal bones). With improved movement and less restriction, there is increased blood flow and usually a reduction in inflammation in the area of restriction.

The muscles that surround a misaligned or restricted joint are often imbalanced such that some are tighter than they should be, and other muscles are weaker or lacking in tone; they are not contracting as well as they should.  With such muscle imbalance, performance of the affected joints is decreased and the person becomes more susceptible to injury, both there and in other areas that are adjacent to the affected tissue.

The nervous system is also affected, and in several different ways.  Because of the intimate relationship that exists between the spinal cord, the spinal nerves, the coverings of those tissues, and the spine itself, alterations in spinal movement and alignment can impact nerves.  The messaging that travels down the spinal cord, out along the nerves to all the organs, tissues and cells of the body can be compromised.  This can then result in such things as pain, numbness, tingling, muscle weakness and even loss of proper function of internal organs.  This is logical when you consider that every tissue in the body relies on nerve communication for proper function, and malfunction of the spine negatively impacts this nerve flow.  

The part of the impact on the nervous system that is generally less well known and understood is what happens to the information flowing from the periphery of the body to the brain. We know that a loss of spinal motion or misalignment simultaneously sends a barrage of negative body messaging (nociception) and interferes with the flow of positive body messaging (proprioception) into the brain.  The net effect of this two-pronged attack on the brain is that the brain’s stress response (fight/flight response) is chronically activated.  Chronic activation of the stress response causes a host of different effects ranging from decreased melatonin and serotonin production to increased heart rate and blood pressure to decreased cellular immunity.  There are many more effects, but I think you get the idea.  The impact of spinal dysfunction and misalignment is global in scope.  

It is no wonder that people who get adjusted regularly perform better, recover faster, resist injury, have less pain, and are generally healthier.  If you or a family member are in pain, or you simply want to feel and be healthier, then come and get adjusted.  Chiropractic works, and we see the results every day.  Now science tells us why we have been observing the changes that we have seen for over one hundred years, and now you know too.  Come and get some.