Nearly 27 million American adults and children visit Doctors of Chiropractic (DC) for care every year. People who start their care with a chiropractor after a back injury are much less likely to end up having surgery as people who start with a spine surgeon. Given that back pain is one of the leading causes of American disability in people over 45, going to chiropractors offers a different but helpful option.
The Benefits of a Chiropractor
You will suffer less from colds and the flu. Studies on 107 people who had been receiving long term chiropractic care were found to have much stronger immune systems than those who did not. In fact, their immune systems were a full 200% stronger than the people who never went to chiropractors at all.
You will be happier. Not only does getting care from chiropractors help people’s immune system but it also improves their hormone balance. This, in turn, improves their mood. Stress hormones like cortisol are reduced while at the same time dopamine and norepinephrine levels are increased. This can influence the function of the brain and body and improve a person feels. Studies show that people who suffer from anxiety or depression can benefit greatly from seeking out chiropractic care.
You get better sleep. Insomnia is a huge issue in the United States. While the National Sleep Foundation recommends we get between seven and nine hours of sleep a night, few people do. This can lead to a host of medical issues. Some of them are serious. Going to chiropractors improves people’s ability to fall asleep and the sleep they get is a better quality than people who do not go to chiropractors. It is estimated that about 40 million people in the United States do not get enough, quality sleep.
You will save more money on medicine. It is a more cost effective approach than surgery and medications. In 1993 the Canadian government looked into this and found their National Health System would save a lot of money if people were treated by chiropractors for back pain and not spine surgeons. This could be because people who seek out chiropractic care are a lot less likely to seek out care in hospitals and with drugs. The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics said that people who seek out this kind of care are much less likely to show up at emergency rooms (the most expensive kind of care) nor do they need as many hospitalizations.
You will have more energy. Many chiropractors report seeing a change in the amount of energy in their patients not too long after they start receiving care.
You will be healthier. Chiropractors are doctors. As such they are an excellent place to go for information on wellness programs and things you can do to get and stay healthy. Their approach may differ from doctors of medicine but that does not mean their techniques and information they can impart is any less valid. They all receive very rigorous trainings in people’s health. In fact, their education is ver similar to that of medical doctors and they study all of the same subjects. Just like your primary care doctor, chiropractors can work with your other medical team of specialists to make sure you get the best care possible.
You will have less pain. When the spine is not aligned correctly, even if you have not injured it, it causes pain. When chiropractors adjust patients’ spines, the result is a direct result of less pain. This has been proven time and time again and is why most people who seek out chiropractic care do so for the treatment of back pain.
By some estimates, nearly 80% of us will suffer from back pain in our lives. For many of us, the idea of getting back surgery to fix our injuries or taking lots of medication just is not that appealing. When we seek out chiropractor services, the results begin faster and last longer. If you have ever had bad back pain, you know what a great idea this is.
For a long time the traditional medical community frowned on the work done by chiropractors. Now they actively embrace it and work hand and hand with them. Many chiropractors and dpctrs work together.