The goal of chiropractic care is to allow the body to function at its optimal capacity, ideally without pain. While most patients walk into the office with complaints of neck pain, back pain, headaches or sciatica, there is much more to chiropractic than ending pain.

Three different types of stressors can cause dysfunction at the level of the spine—emotional stress, nutritional stress and physical stress. Most people believe that only physical stress can be detrimental to the spine, but the other two are just as significant. Sometimes we cannot control these stressors which is where chiropractic comes into play. Chiropractic care helps to balance out the nervous system from the inside out. Chiropractors realign the spine to properly balance the nerves that exit the spine. Pain is a signal to our bodies that there is a problem, but chiropractic care can address a problem before it manifests in pain.

A balanced nervous system can improve one’s quality of life. Chiropractic care has been shown to improve sleep patterns, increase the immune system, decrease pain, reduce joint inflammation and increase range of motion. Athletes find that chiropractic treatment can boost their performance, giving them a competitive edge over their opponents. Learning how to combat ergonomic problems in work or home life can lead to better posture, more mobility, less pain and improve one’s overall health.

A form of holistic care that focuses on the whole body, chiropractic is centered on the nervous system and treats the actual condition instead of just the symptoms leading to better prognosis and a healthier lifestyle. It is a great complement to other forms of conservative care, such as acupuncture, massage therapy and physical therapy.