Brain-Based Chiropractic

Chiropractic has been producing amazing clinical results since it was discovered back in 1895 but for that entire 129 years, people have been trying to figure out just how it works.

The theories were pretty rudimentary in the early days. There was a lot of talk about bones misaligning and putting pressure directly on nerves and the thought was that when we did an adjustment, we were putting those bones back in place. Well, as science continued to develop, we realized that the “bone on nerve” idea, although somewhat plausible, was very rarely what was going on.

As the years went on, better models emerged to fully explain how adjustments helped people’s joints and muscles function and feel better. What was hard to explain was how chiropractic care could also help so many people with such a wide variety of issues beyond pain, like gut function, depression, bed wetting, and infertility. 

Well, at least some of that puzzle is becoming better understood.

I recently had the opportunity to attend a presentation with Dr. Heidi Haavik, an amazing neuroscientist and chiropractic researcher from New Zealand. What Dr. Haavik and her team have been able to show is that chiropractic adjustments work on two levels. While some effects are local to the joints, nerves, and muscles of the spine, a surprising second facet of improvement was happening in the brain! 

Adjustments Affect How the Brain Works

Dr. Haavik’s groundbreaking research showed that there is a significant amount of change happening directly in two of the most important regions of the brain when an adjustment is received. These two regions are the 1) prefrontal cortex and the 2) cerebellum. Both of these areas are responsible for helping the brain better comprehend the internal and external environment of the body. 

In effect, what she observed is that the brain is reorganizing itself to better understand its own “self”. She postulates that when the spine isn’t moving properly, the information from the body to the brain is somewhat faulty and that leads to an incorrect perception of the “reality” of the body. That leads to dysfunction both at the spinal level and throughout the other systems of the body.

By restoring better spinal motion, the data set going to the brain is more complete and accurate, allowing the brain to make better decisions and better regulate functions like digestion, hormones, sleep, immune health, mood, and more.

These sorts of studies are expensive to do and, since there isn’t a massive pharmaceutical company with billions of dollars in its coffers that stands to profit from it, it takes dedicated neuroscientists like Dr. Haavik and her team who are passionate about chiropractic care enough to continue to press on despite limited funding to further our understanding of how this amazing body of ours works. 

Hats off to Dr. Haavik for some very important breakthroughs

We Can Help

If you or a loved one would like to optimize the function of your body, I’d encourage you to implement a lifestyle that includes regular chiropractic care. With over 25 years of experience caring for patients from newborns to 90 years old, we have seen just how powerful chiropractic adjustments can be in helping the body to regulate itself and function at its highest level.

Call the office to schedule your appointment soon. We look forward to helping you.