Chiropractic care is more than relieving back or neck pain. It’s an approach that aims to improve your overall wellbeing. There are ways to help treat specific pain caused by a condition such as sciatica or arthritis. There are also ways to help prevent pain from starting. But did you know that chiropractic care can also be used to help reduce anxiety? Let’s take a look at how this works.
What is Anxiety?
Anxiety is a feeling of fear, dread, and/or uncertainty that can produce physical symptoms such as causing you to sweat, feel restless, increase your heart rate, and a tight feeling in your stomach. Some anxiety is normal such as before taking a test or making a big life decision.
It can, however, start to get in the way of everyday activities. If you’re feeling anxious, but you’re not in a new or unusual situation, this is a condition that can be treated.
Anxiety Conditions
There are several levels of anxiety with phobias (an irrational fear of something that prevents someone from taking part in their daily activities) being the most severe, all the way to general anxiety. Most people experience general anxiety which is described as excessive worries about ordinary issues such as their health, family, money, or work. For these people, their worries take over their thoughts and cause symptoms as a result. What’s going on in your mind really does have a direct impact on your physical health.
Symptoms of Anxiety
There are some common symptoms of anxiety. These vary from person to person, and not everyone experiences all of these symptoms at once. They include:
- Nervousness or feeling of uneasiness
- Shaking
- Irritability
- Shortness of breath
- High blood pressure, if there is no other cause
- Irregular heartbeat
- Poor sleep
- Fatigue or weakness
- Muscle soreness or tension
Treatments for Anxiety
There are quite a few medications known to help the patient’s mind by increasing the level of naturally-occurring chemicals in the brain that help you feel calm. Some people who use these medications build a tolerance and they have to continually increase their dose for it to work. Other people simply don’t like taking medications and would prefer to find a different solution.
There are other ways to approach the treatment of anxiety that you may want to try before starting a medication regimen. Some of these include:
- Exercise -- especially outdoors where you can experience nature. Try to get some amount of exercise every day to help lower your anxiety levels.
- Journaling -- by writing down your thoughts and concerns you can help release some of the stress knowing you have outlined how you’re feeling in writing. This can sometimes help release the concerns.
- Mindful breathing -- take slow breaths in for four counts, hold for four counts, and then slowly breathe out for four counts. This will help you increase oxygen throughout your body. You’ll start to slow down your pulse and you’ll be able to think more clearly after you make sure your brain has received more oxygen.
- Chiropractic care -- improving the body’s brain and spinal cord connection for better overall blood flow and body function.
How Can Chiropractic Care Help with Anxiety?
Many people are surprised to hear that chiropractic care can actually help with symptoms of anxiety. When a chiropractor adjusts the spine, they’re helping to promote optimal communication between the brain and spinal cord. If there had previously been misalignments in the spine, it could have caused poor functioning throughout the body (including in the brain), leading to issues like anxiety. Here are some of the ways a spinal adjustment can help reduce your anxiety levels.
Reducing Stress
Chiropractic adjustments can cause a release of endorphins which helps to reduce cortisol levels. Cortisol is a stress hormone that is usually released in excess when you are feeling anxious. Lowering cortisol levels can help with symptoms of anxiety.
Relieving Physical Tension
Physical discomfort can definitely exacerbate feelings of anxiety. Getting a chiropractic adjustment helps to relieve tension, improve posture, and help you feel physically relieved. Physical tension in the muscles can cause discomfort and exacerbate feelings of anxiety. When your body feels comfortable and relieved of tension, you’re likely to feel your best mentally as well.
Promoting Better Sleep
A chiropractic adjustment can improve your sleep quality since it helps to alleviate discomfort and optimize nervous system function. Getting caught up on sleep can help you think more clearly and help relieve symptoms of anxiety.
Supporting Gut Health
By improving nervous system function, chiropractic care promotes healthy digestion and optimal gut health. Having a healthy gut may even help to improve your mood and prevent anxiety. Your gut is actually connected to your brain, so a healthy gut usually means healthy brain function.
Promotes a Mind-Body Connection
Chiropractic care is a holistic approach to health. Getting your spine adjusted can help to promote a better mind-body connection. When your chiropractor adjusts your spine, they’re helping your nerves throughout your body communicate and function properly, helping your mind become more aware of your body and vice versa. Having a strong mind-body connection helps you feel grounded and present, helping to combat unnecessary feelings of anxiety.
Helps Balance Hormones that Can Counter Stress
Chiropractic care can trigger healthy hormone releases throughout the body. The hormone oxytocin is commonly released during chiropractic adjustments, helping to boost feelings of relaxation and alleviate stress.
Lowers Blood Pressure
A chiropractic adjustment can help to lower blood pressure. High blood pressure commonly occurs with high stress and feelings of anxiety. If you’ve been told by a physician that you have high blood pressure, also called hypertension, be sure you follow the medical treatments they’ve given you while you add other ways to potentially lower your blood pressure such as chiropractic care, exercise, and a healthier diet.
Chiropractic Care Uses a Mind-Body Approach
Anxiety is a mental condition, and for that reason, you should talk to your doctor about their recommendations. Discuss adding chiropractic treatment to your regimen so they can monitor results after you’ve gone through regular treatments. You’ll need to see the chiropractor about once a week for this approach to have the best effect on lowering anxiety.
The benefit of using a more holistic approach to treating anxiety is that it will likely get to the root of the issue rather than just treating symptoms. This makes it more likely that you’ll experience overall healing, rather than just a temporary fix.
Don’t stop taking medications abruptly if you add chiropractic care into your routine. Your doctor will help you with a schedule for reducing or stopping the use of the medication if other tactics are working well.
Get Personalized Chiropractic Care at Village Chiropractic
At Village Chiropractic in The Woodlands, we help patients who are trying to reduce their anxiety -- whether it’s short-term or a long-term condition. Our chiropractors will meet with you to discuss how you’re feeling, your goals for treatment and any other treatments, including medications, you may be using. We find deep satisfaction in watching our patients thrive more and more with every treatment. Schedule your visit today.
