Stress Management

Stress is an unavoidable and normal part of our lives. It upsets the body’s natural balance (homeostasis), depletes nutrients, and creates an excellent breeding ground for disease. If stress becomes persistent and low-level, however, all parts of the body's stress apparatus (the brain, heart, lungs, vessels, and muscles) become chronically over- or under-activated. This may produce physical or psychologic damage over time.

Stress has physical and emotional effects on us and can create positive or negative feelings. As a positive influence, stress can help compel us to action; it can result in a new awareness and an exciting new perspective. As a negative influence, it can result in feelings of distrust, rejection, anger, and depression, which in turn can lead to health problems such as headaches, upset stomach, rashes, insomnia, ulcers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

People can experience either external or internal stressors. External stressors include adverse physical conditions (such as pain or hot or cold temperatures) or stressful psychological environments (such as poor working conditions or abusive relationships). Internal stressors can also be physical (infections, inflammation) or psychological. An example of an internal psychological stressor is intense worry about a harmful event that may or may not occur. Major sources of stress:

Physical Stress

• Temperature extremes
• Excessive noise
• Inadequate light
• Trauma or injury
• Inactivity
• Internal toxins
• Allergens

Chemical Stress

• Nicotine
• Caffeine
• Alcohol
• Drugs
• Sugars
• Ifections
• Nutritional Imbalance

Emotional Stress

• Fear
• Anger
• Guilt
• Depression
• Inadequate Sleep
• Anxiety

Electromagnetic Stress

• Airplane travel
• Electric blankets, Pads
• Television, Computers
• High Voltage Power Lines
• Fluorescent lights
• Electrical appliances

Chiropractic is a natural for the treatment of stress and stress-related conditions. Chiropractic care helps to break the tension cycle by working to remove the pressure and nerve irritation from the spinal area, thus helping to relieve possibly serious stress-related conditions.

The chiropractic adjustment, or manipulation, provides many patients with a sense of well-being and relaxation. For an adjustment, the chiropractor exerts a specific pressure at sites along your spine or at other joints. This will help to relieve muscle tension and improve balance and alignment of the spine, and increase blood circulation throughout your body. This adjustment will also help to free nerves from interferences so that you are better able to respond to stress in a normal, healthy way.

People who manage stress effectively not only are healthier, but also have more time to enjoy life and accomplish their goals. We can help create a successful individualized program for coping with stress including exercise, supplemental nutrition, relaxation techniques and chiropractic care to relieve the physical symptoms of stress.

Is chiropractic manipulation a safe procedure?

Chiropractic adjustment or manipulation is a drug-free, non-invasive approach to common musculoskeletal conditions such as headache, neck and back pain. As such, it is a low risk therapy. Complications arising from adjustment are rare.

What results can I expect from treatment?

That depends on your condition. The length of time you have had the problem, your age and the degree of your disability all affect the length of your treatment. One of the main reasons people choose chiropractic is that they often get quick results. Individual cases vary and chronic conditions obviously need more treatment, but Workers' Compensation studies show, for example, that people with low back pain get back to work much faster with chiropractic care. You might also consider the benefits of regular chiropractic adjustments even when you feel healthy. Sometimes you won't know you have a disorder of the neuromusculoskeletal system until it becomes acute and painful. Regular visits to your chiropractor can catch related health conditions early, often preventing them from developing into major problems. Remember, your spine is every bit as susceptible to wear and tear as your teeth and your eyes. You should have your spine checked on a regular basis.

I'm in my "golden years"; can chiropractic help me?

There are numerous physical problems associated with aging, and drugs and surgery are often prescribed to treat these problems. There is little, if any, attention paid to actually fixing these problems and little or no emphasis on preventing them. But you need not succumb. Chiropractors understand the effects of aging and have been helping folks deal with the aches and pains associated with aging for decades. As with other patients, we diagnose the ailment, determine what's causing it, and then choose from a variety of gentle therapeutic techniques to alleviate it. We can also guide you through simple changes in your lifestyle (e.g., diet, exercise, stress management) that can greatly improve the quality of your life.