Chiropractic is a health care profession that focuses on maintaining the alignment, structure and function of the spine because it protects your spinal cord and nerves.

When the spine becomes misaligned or damaged, signals between the spinal cord and the rest of your body are diminished.

A study published in the Journal of Neural Plasticity shows that adjusting mis-aligned bones of the spine has a large effect on brain function.

Specifically, the study looked at how chiropractic adjustments of the spine change the prefrontal cortex which is the conductor of the brain, the controller of conscious thought and where learning/cognition happens.

The study showed a 20% increase in prefrontal cortex activity following an adjustment of a mis-aligned vertebra.

In a recently accepted study, published in the Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, scientists confirm that changes in brain function occur after chiropractic care.

Chiropractic Adjustments Enhance Muscle Function

In this new study, a team of scientists measured brain changes associated with the control of movement of a leg muscle in participants before and after a single session of chiropractic care or a control intervention.

The people in this study were randomly allocated to a control or chiropractic group.

The chiropractic care they received comprised of full spine adjusting wherever subluxations (spine misalignments) were found through clinical assessment.

The results of this study showed that through adjusting vertebral subluxations there was a change in the cortical silent period in the chiropractic group compared to the control group.

The cortical silent period is one of the mechanisms the brain uses to help control movement, similar to the way we use the gas pedal or brake pedal to help control the movement in our car.

The results of this study support the theory that correcting vertebral subluxations causes neuroplastic brain changes that alters the way our brain perceives sensory information and controls bodily movement.

These findings have important clinical implications for people who have muscle weakness or for athletes who want to perform at their best.

Chiropractic Adjustments Protect The Spinal Cord

The spinal column is what protects the central nervous system, so it's able to function properly by helping communication between the body and the brain.

When the spine is out of alignment (confirmed by xray examination), the spinal cord and nerves are often negatively impacted as well, which can lead to an unhealthy ripple effect throughout the body.

This is where chiropractic care becomes to important.

Spine Misalignments are not as obvious as one would think. In fact, it's been demonstrated that individuals as young as 20 years of age exhibit spine degeneration with no symptoms.

Misalignments can cause a person to experience back pain, headaches, digestive issues, and high blood pressure, which is why it should be taken seriously and corrected as soon as possible.

So how can chiropractic help?

Every single day we place our bodies in abnormal positions and postures. Whether its sitting for long periods at work, school or in a car, or carrying bags, purses and backpacks, modern life is not congruent with a healthy spine.

This is why regular chiropractic care is recommended.

Chiropractors use safe, reliable, and effective manual manipulation techniques in order to bring the spine back into its proper alignment. These techniques often involve alternating between short, forceful thrusts, and longer, gradual applications of pressure to the spine and surrounding area.

When the spine is safely placed in a proper position, the central nervous system's functions can be restored as well. This will often allow for communication between the body and the brain to work faster and more effectively than before the adjustment was performed, which means many other functions of the body may begin to improve.

Why You Should Get Regular Chiropractic Care

Well for starters, if you're not currently under chiropractic care, find an austin chiropractor near you because your back is going to feel a lot better because of it!

But here's a list of subtle things you really wouldn't think about.

• Increased secretion of melatonin (regulates other hormones, and assists in your 24-hour sleep cycle)
• Increased endorphins helping pain management
• Lowered blood pressure as well as better circulation
• Increased joint range of motion, tension reduction in muscles, and much more.

Because a chiropractic adjustment influences brain function in a positive way, chiropractic adjustments can be a very important pillar in our quest of optimum health.

A chiropractic adjustment is really more about your brain, than pain!