How does stress effect my spine?

Stress can be defined as a physical, emotional or chemical reaction to change. It can be either positive or negative, but ultimately stress will move you towards some sort of change in your life. Stress is often carried as tension in the back and neck areas. This constant strain will cause your spine to become misaligned, which can lead to many other problems. When your spine has subluxations (a spinal bone that is partially dislocated or out of alignment in relation to the spinal bone above or below it) it negatively affects the way your central nervous system responds to your body and weakens your immune system.

Stress can have many negative effects on your body: increased blood pressure, fatigue, insomnia/poor sleep and even a slow metabolism that can affect your weight. It is a common misconception that stress is something we are victim to and have no control over. This is not true! We are in more control of our stress than we think. Every choice that is made will either help you overcome your stress or help you succumb to it.

There are some very easy changes that can help manage the stress in your life. They include exercising regularly, eating properly, having a positive attitude, laughing, relaxing your mind or getting a massage. You can also get adjusted by your chiropractor to help alleviate stress in your life and more importantly the stress it literally has on your spine.

At Shaw Chiropractic, our focus is to remove interference to the nervous system’s function. When you receive a chiropractic adjustment this increases nerve flow into the emotion center of your brain, called the limbic system, which is responsible for regulating your ability to be happy. Removing the subluxations or misalignments in the spine aids in maximizing nerve flow to every organ, tissue and muscle in your body. Thus, helping you to relieve stress and function normally.