The belief that Chiropractors only treat and adjust your back problems is highly incorrect and limited. Chiropractors treat a vast majority of injuries ranging from (but not limited to) musculoskeletal injuries, extremity injuries, soft tissue injuries, enhancing the body’s ability to function properly.
Can Chiropractic improve fertility? Absolutely! Chiropractic care improves the communication between the body and the nervous system. It is this communication that allows Chiropractic to not only have an effect on the functionality of the body as a whole, but also evoke improvements in the body’s response to stress. Stress has many negative effects on health, and as we know, can greatly hinder your ability to conceive.
Research has lead us to understand that there are three different types of stress: physical stress, chemical stress and emotional stress. Physical stress includes trauma to the body, repetitive strain injuries, bad postural habits, etc. Chemical stresses include poor diet habits, drug and alcohol abuse, etc. Finally, emotional stress encompasses devastating events in ones life, inadequate stress management capabilities, etc. All these stressors have a negative effect on the body’s immune system and can deplete the body’s ability to sustain normal functioning, leading us to be more susceptible to injury and disease.
Science has taught us that our brain integrates the information it receives and sends it to the primary sensory cortex and many different parts within the brain. These signals are responsible for different functions within the body, including the hormonal responses that control how we sleep, our body temperature, blood pressure and appetite. Therefore, if stress can evoke a response in the brain that effects the brain’s ability to release hormones in a normal fashion, many different issues can arise. Loss of sleep and appetite, decrease/increase in blood pressure and much more can lead to further damage our body’s natural environment, which in turn can make it near to impossible to get pregnant. Moreover, considering that the brain controls the hormonal responses in our bodies, even sexual hormones are effected when the body is stressed. Fertility requires a beautiful balance in the body, and with stress there is no balance. They body and the brain are too busy responding to stress and as a result, the body goes into survival mode.
So, how can Chiropractic treat stress? Easy…it all comes back to the brain again. Stress travels to the brain through the amygdale, to the part of the brain known as the “limbic system”. We now know through research that pain travels the same way, through the amygdale to the limbic system part of the cortex. There is no reason to believe that pain and stress do not work together since they scientifically travel the same way to our central nervous system. Therefore, while chiropractors treat their patients “pain” they are also having an indirect and therapeutic effect on that patient’s stress. Decreasing the pain, decreases the stress, which leads to more allostasis and homeostasis within the body, therefore increasing chances not only for pregnancy, but decreasing occurrence of disease, injury and infection!
Pero (1989) measured the immune systems of people under chiropractic care as compared to those in the general population and those with cancer and other serious diseases. His 3 year study found that chiropractic patients had a 200% greater immune competence than those who had not received chiropractic care and they had a 400% greater immune competence than those who suffered from cancer and other serious illnesses. Brennan et al (1991) had strengthened the chiropractic immunology connection when she conducted a study that found an improvement in the immune response of her test subjects after receiving chiropractic care.
These are just a few examples of the research that supports Chiropractic treatments and shows how adjustments can help lower stress and improve the body’s immune system, which in turn affects the overall functioning of the body, including the ability to conceive. In order to create another life, the body must be healthy and optimally functioning. Chiropractic can most certainly help with this and should be a part of your regular routine if you are trying to get pregnant.
This is a guest post by Dr. Harmony Mir, BofMUS, DC, Medical Acupuncturist, ICPA (candidate). For any questions please contact her at drharmonymir@gmail.com
