9 Signs Your Spine is Out of Alignment
by Dr. Brent Wells
How do you know if your spine is misaligned? Good question. Many people go about their everyday lives without giving it much thought. Did you know, however, that a misalignment in your spine can not only be uncomfortable, it can also cause health problems?
Because this often happens gradually, most people become accustomed to living and feeling this way, accepting it as a normal part of life, but you shouldn’t accept it! Spinal misalignments, called subluxations, might be a common problem, but they are also easily resolved!
What Is a Spinal Misalignment?
As we said, this isn’t an uncommon problem, even though it sounds scary! Anything to do with our neck and spine sounds serious, and while it has a big impact on your overall health and well-being, let’s be honest, you won’t cut your life short because your spine is out of alignment. Your spine must stay strong and stable to support the musculoskeletal part of the body, keep you upright, and protect the central nervous system. When the spine is in perfect alignment, the body is strong and easily mobile, with no interruptions. When the spine is out of position, however, it can lead to dysfunction of the central nervous system and lead to a variety of health problems. Studies show that chiropractic is an effective, non-invasive way to improve your health. While this isn’t usually something you can see with your eyes, you will certainly feel it! You will want to know if your spine is out of alignment so you will know what to do and what to avoid when you have back pain. The top signs that your spine is out of alignment include:1) You Suffer from Headaches, Back Pain, or Joint Pain
Headaches, joint pain, and backaches are C1 and C2 vertebrae misalignment symptoms and perhaps are the most common reasons people visit a chiropractor. Many people live with the agony of migraines, not realizing that chiropractic care can help to reduce, or in some cases, such as this one, eliminate them.
Of course, back pain, especially lower back pain, can be excruciating. Although there is a variety of causes, regardless of whether you have a herniated disc, degenerative disc disease, or a simple spinal misalignment, seeing your local chiropractor will eliminate this pain quickly without drugs or surgery.
A large number of people with joint pain turn to over-the-counter pain medication. Many times, this isn’t necessary. Your chiropractor will look for the root cause of your joint pain, not just mask the symptoms with pills, and remove any misalignments that might be causing knee, wrist, neck, or other areas where you feel pain.
2) The Heels of Your Shoes Wear Out Unevenly
This problem didn’t come from cheap shoes, it’s from a misaligned pelvis. Due to a spinal misalignment, your hips are not sitting in the proper position, which is causing your feet to strike the ground in an uneven manner. You don’t need new shoes, what you need a chiropractic adjustment!3) You Crack Your Neck, Back, or Other Joints Often
You might hear some people say, “I crack my own back (neck, knees, ankles, whatever) all the time, so why do I need a chiropractor?” The answer is that cracking your back and having a chiropractic adjustment is not the same thing. This is why people continue to crack their backs or necks frequently. It’s like changing the oil in your car, but not the filter. Comprehensive chiropractic care is one of the best things to get rid of back pain. Chiropractors know exactly where your subluxation is, how to correct it, and how to make this correction last much longer than cracking your own back.4) You Can’t Turn Your Head or Hips Easily
If your neck is stiff or you can’t turn your head without pain or you can hear your neck crack every time you turn your head, this is a sure sign your cervical spine is out of alignment. The same is true with your hips. In addition to a subluxation, you might have a problem with tight muscles or damaged connective tissue, such as ligaments or tendons. If you have felt like this for a while, you might have gotten used to feeling this way, but wouldn’t it feel great to have a full range of motion without pain or stiffness? Once your spine is realigned, you will really feel the difference!5) You Catch The Flu Often
No one likes catching the flu every winter, summer colds, or other viruses over and over again. If this is happening to you, chances are that you have a poor immune response. The central nervous system controls everything in the body, from our brain to our nerves. It is the main communication center between the body and the immune system. When your spine is out of alignment, that communication is blocked or simply isn’t receiving signals clearly. Chiropractic adjustments restore the lines the communication, which can lead to a much-improved immune response. When the central nervous system is operating in a fully functional manner, the immune system will also function smoothly.6) Your Neck, Back, or Other Joints Feel Stiff Often
A stiff neck or back is not fun and the causes behind this should be investigated. Your stiff neck could be caused by poor ergonomics at work and your stiff back could be due to a spinal misalignment.
One of the great things about seeing your chiropractor for stiff joints is that they can determine the root cause of your problem, as well as do whatever is necessary to relieve your pain and stiffness.
Your chiropractor can suggest improved ergonomics, show you how you can improve your posture, perform a chiropractic adjustment, offer you advice about anti-inflammatory supplements, and many clinics offer chiropractic massage to eliminate stiffness, stop the pain, and relieve stress.
7) You Have Poor General Health
If you have tried just about everything to improve your overall health but have seen minimal improvements, perhaps it’s time to see your chiropractor. If you have ever had a “kink” in your neck after a poor night’s sleep, remember how miserable you felt the next day? The structure of our spine can affect the overall function of our body. Having subluxations removed from your spine can lead you to better health and feeling full of life!8) You Have Numbness or Tingling in Your Hands or Feet
This is a sure sign that you have a misaligned spine. These types of feelings often stem from “pinched nerves.” While nerves aren’t actually “pinched”, they are being compressed or irritated, which can lead to pain or feelings such as pins and needles or numbness. Your chiropractor can help treat your lower back pain with adjustments that can ease the pressure on these nerves, and relieve these types of feelings.9) You are Always Tired
Almost everyone feels fatigued, but constantly feeling fatigued despite getting a solid eight hours of rest each night is not normal. One reason you may feel tired is due to poor sleep on an old, worn-out mattress. Find out the best mattress that is good for back pain to get better sleep.
There is a root cause to your fatigue and chiropractors are experts at finding out what that root cause is. If it stems from a subluxation, your chiropractor will find them and correct them, without drugs or surgery.
This is especially true if you are feeling pain in your back, neck, or other parts of the body. The pain will zap your energy faster than running on a treadmill! Chiropractic care can reduce or eliminate your pain, so you can stop feeling discomfort!
Is a Chiropractor the Best Choice for a Misaligned Spine?
In a word, absolutely! Chiropractors are highly trained specialists who are skilled in the musculoskeletal aspect of the body. Chiropractors can usually examine your spine and find all the areas where a misalignment, called a subluxation, has occurred. They know where to apply gentle pressure to return the spine to its natural position once again. It is advisable to find a chiropractor and let him help you diagnose and treat your pain. If you are suffering from a misaligned spine and you are looking for the most trusted chiropractor in Anchorage, Alaska, visit us. Our patients are surprised to receive their free 1-hour massage certificate after their first chiropractic appointment at Better Health Anchorage.Does a Spinal Alignment Hurt?
Not at all! In fact, most people say that they feel an immediate sense of relief and well-being after a chiropractic adjustment.
If you are thinking about those videos on social media, where people scream, and you hear great popping noises, these are simply over-sensationalized videos designed to get clicks and likes.
While it’s true that you might hear a popping or cracking sound, there are no bones or other tissues being broken. What you hear is trapped gas escaping from a joint, similar to the noise you hear when opening a soda bottle.
If you would like more details about how a spinal adjustment feels and if it hurts, you can read more details here. Or if you have never been to a chiropractor before, you might be wondering what to wear when you visit a chiropractor.
Can Stretching Align Your Spine?
The answer here is sometimes. If you are in excellent physical condition and you keep your back and core muscles strong and flexible, you might be able to do yoga or other types of stretching exercises that can keep your spine properly aligned. There are many types of chiropractic adjustment and not all types of treatment are suitable for everyone or for every situation.
If you found this article to be informative, please feel free to pass it on to others who might also benefit from the information.
For those who believe they might have a misaligned spine or if you are in pain, we invite you to call one of our clinics for a same-day appointment. The friendly staff at Better Health Chiropractic and Rehab will be happy to check with your insurance for coverage. If you don’t have insurance, be informed how much a chiropractor visit costs before deciding you can’t afford quality care.
Life is meant to be enjoyed, not endured! Don’t live in pain, call our clinic today! If you don’t like to be left waiting, visit our chiropractic clinic locations and be seen in a timely fashion, or else your appointment is free!
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