This article will further discuss the health impacts of spinal subluxation, allowing everyone to better understand why it is important to visit a chiropractor even when there is no pain.

Our nervous system is primarily composed of the brain, spinal cord, and nerves. Basically, all bodily functions are controlled by signals sent from the brain (such as breathing, heartbeat, digestion, muscle movements, etc.), which are then transmitted through the spinal cord to the nerves responsible for controlling specific organs or muscles. At the same time, the nerves also transmit signals received by the body back to the brain (such as pain, temperature, vibration, hearing, vision, taste, etc.), enabling the body to produce different responses. In fact, only about 10% of the nerves are responsible for transmitting pain sensations to the brain.

Autonomic nerve compression causes long-term impacts on the body

When the nerves responsible for non-pain or non-sensory functions are pinched, we can hardly notice the issue. Yet, when the autonomic nerves are pinched, it can cause long-term health impacts. The autonomic nervous system controls the functioning of most internal organs, blood circulation, hormone secretion, and the immune system. It operates unconsciously and helps maintain normal bodily functions even during sleep. The autonomic nervous system can be divided into two parts: the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system. In ancient times, when humans were searching for food, they often encountered wild animals. In such situations, they either had to fight or flee, both of which required a significant amount of energy. The body had to temporarily sacrifice the energy needed for digestion, immune function, and repair system, and then increased the heart rate to help the blood redirect oxygen and energy to muscles. That is when the sympathetic nervous system plays its part. This response is often referred to as the "fight or flight" response, which is only activated for short-term situations. Once the fight or the danger is over, the body returns to its normal state, which is regulated by the parasympathetic nervous system. These two systems have been passed down to us, and they switch between each other by secreting different hormones.

The spine affects the ganglia and subsequently organ functions

These two systems' ganglia are located near the spine. If spinal subluxation affects the ganglia, it can disrupt the normal functioning of various organs. The impacts can be subtle, such as slight changes in the heart rate, blood pressure, digestion speed or immune response. We may not always be aware of these impacts, but in the long run, they can potentially lead to cardiovascular diseases, malabsorption, weakened immune system or allergies.

Therefore, receiving regular chiropractic examinations and spinal manipulations can not only effectively prevent pain caused by spinal subluxation, but also help prevent nerve compression that could interfere with bodily functions. This facilitates the smooth functioning of our bodies and improves our overall health. This is also what sets chiropractic adjustment apart from other spinal treatments from different disciplines.