If you're already seeing us at Healthy Life Chiropractic, you know chiropractic is safe for all ages - and yes, that includes seniors! Senior citizens, or those headed in that direction, can benefit from regular chiropractic care for specific reasons. Here's what you should you know:
It's All About Communication
Your brain controls your whole body and its functions. It is able to communicate with the rest of your body through the nervous system, and the spine is what protects the nerve roots and spinal cord. Nerve roots lead into nerves that send information to every organ, tissue, and cell in your body, which controls everything from standing to sipping. Those cells, tissues, and organs also communicate information back to your brain through those very same nerve roots, nerves, and through the spinal cord. And that is the (simplified) communication of the nervous system! The clearer those communication pathways are, the better your brain can communicate with your body to promote optimal health.
Improve Communication in the Nervous System
Your spine's ability to function and move properly affects the nervous system's ability to communicate as it was intended to. Every action, even involuntary actions like breathing, are communicated through the nervous system. The more mobile and healthier your spine is, the better your body will communicate. If your spine has a limited range of motion or you've experienced degeneration, the nervous system's communication will be less effective, leading to a less healthy individual particularly as they start to advance in years.
If you and your family make a healthy spine (and nervous system) part of your regular health plan, you have a greater opportunity to improve your health. That means Mom, Dad, Grandparents, and kids will be feeling great!
Improve Your Range of Motion
Our body's are machines; they need to be maintained and taken care of. Chiropractic adjustments hone in on the mobility of the joints in the spine to improve the communication of the nervous system. Just like an older car has wear and tear, so do people as they age. If a person hasn't taken care of their spine and maintained its mobility, it is possible that a decreased range of motion is present, even if it isn't felt or noticed.
As chiropractors, we will assess the motion of each vertebra in your spine and, through chiropractic care, work to restore full range of motion. We commonly see a significant decrease in the spine's range of motion in our elderly patients, so much so that how they move is greatly affected. Some have an inability to bend down and pick things up or their posture is so poor they have a hunchback. These are discomforts that don't need to happen, and chiropractic can help.
Decrease in Joint Degeneration
If the spine moves improperly for an extended amount of time, the structure and health of the joints and bones ultimately breaks down. The body wants to heal itself, and tries to fix the problem. So, new bone is put down to stabilize and account for the "new" improper motion. This process is referred to as arthritis, of which there are many forms. Some are degenerative, like degenerative joint disease (DJD) and osteoarthritis. This degeneration of the joints is a result of prolonged improper motion and function. Some degeneration does occur as a result of getting older, and chiropractic adjustments can decrease the negative effects of joint degeneration by assisting in proper joint function and improving range of motion.
Pain Relief = Increase In Quality of Life
Chiropractic treatments are known to provide pain relief and increase the patient's overall sense of health and well-being. It is a challenge to imagine any seniors (or anyone!) who wouldn't benefit from those two things!
As with any of our patients, we will address your history and circumstances (including age) and will create a unique treatment plan with specific chiropractic adjustments to best fit your needs. We invite all ages to come in and let us help you live your healthiest life!