Chiropractic adjustments realign your vertebrae through
quick thrusts to the spine. Besides exercising regularly and eating a healthy
diet, your heart health can benefit from chiropractic care.
A portion of the spinal cord called the thoracic region
innervates the heart. Therefore, even subtle changes in spinal alignment can
cause serious heart problems.
The following are a few heart-health benefits of
chiropractic treatment.
Reduces Blood Pressure
High blood pressure is a common chronic illness. Long-term
high blood pressure can strain your heart's arteries, veins, and chambers. As a
result of the strain on your heart, you are at an increased risk of conditions
such as strokes, heart attacks, heart failure, or kidney disease.
Sometimes a misaligned Atlas vertebra in the neck, also
called the first vertebra, can be the cause of high blood pressure. The Atlas
vertebra connects the head to the spine at the top of the neck.
A misaligned Atlas disrupts blood flow to the brain and
causes an increase in sympathetic nervous system activation, which causes blood
pressure to rise. The Atlas vertebra can move out of alignment due to car
accidents, poor posture, or injuries.
Research
shows that chiropractic adjustment on the Atlas can considerably lower blood
pressure. The adjustments result in a drop in blood pressure equal to taking
two blood pressure medications at the same time.
Reduces Inflammation
Your body uses inflammation to protect itself from
infection when you're injured or ill. Inflammation can, unfortunately, become a
chronic problem in some cases when your immune system mistakenly attacks
healthy tissues.
Chronic inflammation can be the result of misaligned
vertebrae in the spine. Misaligned vertebrae that press on nerves prevent your
brain from sending crucial signals to your body. Disrupted nerve function can
negatively affect how your immune system works and lead to inflammation.
Chronic inflammation in the heart puts you at risk for
specific cardiovascular emergencies, such as stroke and heart attacks.
The use of anti-inflammatory medications and steroids can
help decrease inflammation. The drugs can, however, increase your risk of
serious health problems if you take them for a long time.
Chiropractic treatment is a safe, natural way to treat
inflammation in key areas throughout the body without side effects. Keeping
inflammation low throughout the heart can help prevent chronic cardiovascular
disease.
Better Lung Function
Keeping your body healthy requires the cooperation of your
heart and lungs. Oxygen will not be available to the heart’s muscle cells if
the lungs do not function properly. A chiropractic adjustment can help improve
lung function.
A series of chiropractic treatments can strengthen the
central and spinal nervous systems. The treatments can lead to a reduction or
prevention of lung conditions. Furthermore, chiropractic adjustments improve
your posture, which allows your chest to expand and provides your lungs with
better capacity and efficiency.
Improve the Variability of the Heart Rate
Maintaining a normal heart rate is crucial to avoid
degenerative diseases that weaken the heart over time. To better control your
heart rate, you must increase the interval between heartbeats, known as heart
rate variability (HRV).
The sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems in your
thoracic and upper cervical spine are responsible for controlling your heart
rate variability. A person's HRV varies according to their emotions and
activity level.
High HRV indicates a heart that can easily adapt to various
situations and environments. Low HRV increases your risk of developing heart
disease, diabetes, and other illnesses.
A chiropractic adjustment improves heart rate variability
and increases the heart's ability to respond to stress by influencing the
autonomic nervous system.
The above benefits are a few ways chiropractic care can
help protect your heart. Chiropractic care should therefore be a regular part
of everyone's health regimen.
You can trust Corner Chiropractic Center with your
chiropractic adjustment. Feel free to contact us today
to
schedule an appointment.
