CHIROPRACTIC CARE —

Chiropractic is a natural approach to health and wellbeing that focuses on the body's natural ability to heal itself and adapt to the environment.

Chiropractic recognises that tension, misalignment or altered movement of the spine (termed subluxations) may interfere with the flow of information through your nervous system and can dramatically affect the function of your body in numerous ways.

Essentially, your body is a community of cells. It is a complex biochemical factory with electrical impulses and information being constantly relayed back and forth across your nervous system (your brain, spinal cord, and the nerves exiting your spine).

You are made up of around 75 - 100 trillion cells (that's a lot of 000's), each of which produce many hundreds of chemical reactions every instant. All functions are co-ordinated and constantly adapting, without you even having to think about it. This inborn or innate intelligence knows exactly what your body needs, when you need it, and how to make it. Of course, to work best you need a few key ingredients; good food, fresh air, beneficial exercise, a positive mental attitude and a nervous system free of interference.

Grays Anatomy textbook states that “the purpose of the brain and nervous system is to control and co-ordinate all the tissues, organs and systems of the body and to adapt the organism to its environment”.

Your nervous system is so vitally important that it is the most protected organ in the body. The brain is encased in solid bone, and the bones of the spine (the vertebrae) surround and protect the spinal cord with openings allowing the nerves to pass through. Because the bones have joints between them to allow movement and flexibility, the spine is susceptible to misalignment and dysfunction. When joints lose their normal motion this also decreases feedback (proprioception) to the brain and affects central nervous system processes.

This is where chiropractic comes into the picture...

Subluxations

Joint malfunction or misalignment (subluxation) interferes with the flow of information through your nervous system. The result - reduced function of your cells, tissues and organs, loss of adaptive ability, and diminished levels of health and life expression.

Subluxations can impair your body's ability to perceive the environment, with decreased ability to sense how each of your activities and health choices affects you.

Most subluxations exist without obvious spinal pain or discomfort but some of the possible noticeable effects can include:

Reduced ability to cope with and adapt to stress and change

Loss or altered function to different organs or systems of your body

Changes in muscle tension, strength and function

Impaired flexibility, balance, and coordination

Reduced vitality and energy levels

Reduced ability to sense and regulate your body and emotions

Poor posture and altered spinal curves such as scoliosis

Low back pain, neck pain, headaches, referred pain and altered sensation in other body sites

Reduced ability to learn, concentrate or other behavioural issues

Spinal degeneration or decay

Subluxations may be caused by physical, chemical or emotional stresses to which your body cannot adapt.

Through chiropractic care and positive lifestyle changes many people naturally find relief from aches, pains and the symptoms of a wide variety of conditions along with growing more flexible, adaptable and healthy.

Benefits of Chiropractic Care

The benefits of chiropractic are many and varied - each person is unique. While chiropractic has been effective for relieving a variety of symptoms such as back pain, its focus is to help you be as healthy and vibrant as possible and live life to the fullest.

Healthy Living | Protecting Your Greatest Asset

Your health is your greatest asset and enables you to enjoy life to the fullest.

Because the human body has such an extraordinary capacity to deal with injuries, disease and other stresses, our health is something we can take for granted. Often it is not until we experience ill health or discomfort that we come to fully appreciate how vital it is.

Symptoms | A call for attention

Symptoms are often just 'the tip of the iceberg' and can be warning signs that the limits of your body’s adaptive processes are being reached. There are many examples of health problems existing without obvious signs until late in the process (eg. heart disease, cancer and tooth decay). Prevention is always better than cure.

Subluxations are frequently NOT accompanied by pain or other obvious symptoms. In fact, only about 10% of your nerves can perceive pain. This is one of the reasons we use advanced spinal scanning technology to help detect underlying distortion patterns.

Some symptoms arising from nervous system interference may seem totally unrelated to the spine, for example digestive or respiratory problems, infertility, incontinence, poor concentration and memory, mood swings, and broken sleep patterns. Your chiropractor's primary role is not to treat these symptoms but to improve your nervous system function thus allowing your whole body to perform as well as possible.

Using specific adjustments, chiropractors can help restore the function of your spine. By correcting subluxations your chiropractor helps relieve distortion or disturbance in your nervous system. This allows your body to better coordinate and heal itself, and you are more able to reach your maximum health and potential.

This is not to say that all disease or dysfunction is a result of subluxation alone. Disease can occur with, because of, or despite subluxations. However, subluxations always result in a lowering of the body's innate ability to express life and function.

Our lifestyle, environment, nutrition, toxins, genetic expression, and even attitude also influence our health and function.

Symptoms can be healthy

It is interesting to note that symptoms are not necessarily ‘bad’ and they can even be a beneficial response of the body. What we often label as being ‘sick’ can actually be ‘healthy’, such as a fever, running nose or vomiting to help rid the body of a pathogen or toxin. Your body’s natural healing mechanisms may not always be the most comfortable but they are there for a reason. While in certain situations medications are necessary, in many cases it can be better to listen and learn from your body’s signals rather than trying to suppress or block your symptoms with painkillers and other drugs. Please do not discontinue any prescription medications without first consulting your medical doctor. At Equilibrium we work with your full health care team to ensure a co-operative, integrated approach.

It’s important to put focus and energy into your own wellbeing. Where appropriate we recommend choosing natural forms of health care such as chiropractic, massage therapy, acupuncture, naturopathy and other activities (such as yoga and tai chi) that help support your body’s natural ability to heal. Because natural health care practices work in alignment with your body and seek to enhance and restore your body’s natural functions, they can help improve your health and wellbeing beyond simply relieving symptoms or numbing your body.

To book a consultation or have a chiropractor talk to you please call 03 548 0082

Live Well. Be Well.

Equilibrium.