Adjustments Affect Brain Function
The immediate impact that chiropractic adjustments have on our brains cannot be understated. Chiropractic adjustments affect brain function. The original understanding that subluxation was a bone out of place pressing on a nerve was too simple (it wasn’t completely wrong – it’s just way too basic). Recent research has shown that spinal nerve interference has a much greater effect than previously thought. The result remains the same though: less brain to body and body to brain communication, and therefore poor function and healing.
Screen Time Shrinks the Brain
An area in our brain called the insula is responsible for consciousness, emotion, homeostasis (specific control of our internal environment), perception, motor control, cognitive functioning (reason, memory and attention) and interpersonal space. Multiple research studies have shown that increased screen time (phone, tablet, computer, TV, etc) literally shrinks the size and decreases the activity of the insula! The results are loss of ability to develop empathy and compassion for others, impulsiveness, moodiness, poor ability to focus and loss of ability to integrate physical signals with emotion.
“Taken together, [studies show] internet addiction is associated with structural and functional changes in brain regions involving emotional processing, executive attention, decision making, and cognitive control.”
How does chiropractic fit in? Spinal adjustments directly stimulate nerves in the spinothalamic tract of our spinal cord. Those nerves send signals to several areas of our brain, including our insula.
Increased Bite Force after One Adjustment
Another study from 2018 showed that there is an increase in bite strength immediately following, and one week after a single chiropractic adjustment. We know that the neck curve affects jaw joint (TMJ) function, but this research showed stronger muscle activity immediately after a chiropractic adjustment, without any neck curve change. Muscle control of the jaw is controlled by special nerves called cranial nerves that come from the brain stem and exit through the base of the skull. So what? Well, that’s critical because we know brain change had to occur for stronger signals to be sent to the chewing muscles.
Interference Removal
Chiropractic adjustments affect brain function by removing subluxation and allowing for increased nerve function that literally brings life back into our brain. The improved function means more efficient and more accurate information is sent back to our body. Chiropractic is becoming even more important, not only to flourish, but just to survive the pressures of daily life.