Chiropractic and The Stress Response

By February 18, 2015Uncategorized

When we are in the last stage of stress, that exhaustion or burnout stage, we are not adapting to stress well and cause our sympathetic nervous system to become over activated. Remember, this is the “fight or flight” part of our nervous system and it’s on overdrive!

If your nervous system is functioning properly, it is able to effectively dissipate the stress that it is exposed to. It will allow your body the flexibility to thrive in stressful circumstances.

If your nervous system is not functioning properly, it will store and even amplify the stress. This pushes your body further towards overload, burnout, and ultimately sickness. The first sign that your body is storing too much stress is TENSION. From a chiropractic view, we see this tension build up in the spinal column and cause interference of the central nervous system, we call this a subluxation.

What does the build-up of tension and the development of spinal subluxations do to you?

  • Makes your motor nervous system too tight and stiff and you are more likely to feel strained or achy muscles.
  • Makes your autonomic nervous system malfunction and you feel “tied up in knots” internally causing immune, circulatory, hormonal, and/or digestive problems.
  • Fatigues your central nervous system and you feel “sick and tired.”
  • The buildup of physical tension can lead to emotional tension causing you to feel anxious or depressed.
  • Makes you stiffer, you are more likely to “throw your back out” or sprain ligaments.
  • Makes you feel imbalanced causing poor posture, coordination, and alignment.

 With chiropractic, our goal is to detect and correct these spinal subluxations and reduce the buildup of tension in your body. A properly functioning nervous system will allow you the flexibility to effectively deal with the stress you are exposed to and thrive!

– Dr. Bethany Cannon