Love Your Spine - Love Yourself

February is National Heart Health month! Most people believe chiropractic care is just for musculoskeletal conditions like neck & back pain. But did you know that chiropractic care also helps fight heart disease? Here are ways getting regular adjustments can help you by improving heart health: Lowers blood pressure – studies show a significant improvement in blood pressure when chiropractors adjust the 1st vertebra, called the Atlas.

Improves nerve function of the heart – this is called the autonomic tone, and it impacts the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, bladder, sex organs and just about every other part of the body.

Decreases blood markers of inflammation – the more inflammation, the greater your risk of cardiovascular events.

Improves heart rate variability – the more your heart rate bounces around, the longer you will live. Many patients with severe heart issues have problems in this area.

Decreases chest pain – millions of hospital visits for chest pain can be avoided by referral or chiropractic care. A huge reason I refer patients to chiropractors is that chest pain is often musculoskeletal in nature. Most patients can be quickly assessed and once a doctor determines that the heart is not involved, curative therapy from a doctor of chiropractic is imperative. Patients do not need the “million dollar work-up”, they need an adjustment. Costochondritis, rib misalignment, or thoracic vertebrae subluxation are all causes of chest pain and shortness of breath that will respond to chiropractic care.

Improves lung function – chiropractic care has been proven effective in patients with asthma and emphysema and poor lung function has been linked to heart failure.

Schedule your appointment with Dr. Miriam today to begin fighting heart disease! J Hum Hypertens. 2007 May; 21(5): 347-52J

Chiropr Med. 2008 Sep;7(3):86-93.J

Chiropr Med. 2010 Sep;9(3):107-14J

Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2006 May;29(4):267-74.J

Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2012 Jan;35(1):7-17J

Altern Complement Med. 2011 Sep;17(9):797-801.