Chronic stress can feel like a never-ending alarm in your body. Maybe you notice tight shoulders, frequent headaches or trouble sleeping; these aren’t random annoyances, it’s your body trying to get your attention.
Symptoms are signals from the body to let us know there’s a problem. In other words, that nagging back tension or fatigue is like a “check engine” light. Masking the symptom with another cup of coffee or a painkiller might quiet the alarm for a while, but it doesn’t address why the alarm was going off in the first place. By listening to these signals instead of just pushing through, you’ve taken the first step toward true wellness.
One powerful way to address the root cause of chronic stress is through chiropractic care. It might surprise you, but chiropractic adjustments don’t just help your back, they influence how your brain and nervous system function.
Dr. Heidi Haavik, a chiropractor and neuroscientist, has spent years researching this brain-body connection. Her work shows that when a chiropractor adjusts your spine, it can lead to positive changes in the prefrontal cortex (the part of your brain responsible for things such as focus, mood and executive function). She even describes the prefrontal cortex as “the conductor” of your brain’s orchestra. When that conductor is in tune, the stress response in your body can finally start to mellow.
In a recent study, researchers found that people receiving regular chiropractic care had measurably healthier brain wave patterns and nervous system responses. The group showed increases in brain activity linked to relaxation and focus, better sleep quality and even lower anxiety and fatigue levels after just four weeks. In simple terms, their brains shifted out of the frantic fight-or-flight mode into a more balanced state.
Other research documented that adjustments can boost heart rate variability (HRV), a key sign of nervous system balance, meaning your body is better able to switch from “panic mode” to “calm and collected mode” when facing stress. These scientific findings give credibility to what patients often report anecdotally: after an adjustment, they feel calmer, more centred and better able to handle whatever life throws at them.
Chiropractic care aims to correct underlying imbalances rather than simply silencing symptoms. Think of that chronic stress again as a warning light; chiropractic is about fixing the wiring, not just unscrewing the bulb.
By gently realigning the spine and improving communication in your nervous system, a chiropractor helps your body get out of its own way and start healing. This approach is about resolving the cause, which in turn resolves the symptom.
Many people find that issues such as tension headaches or digestive upsets (common stress signals) fade away, not because we “chased” those symptoms, but because we improved the overall functioning of the system. It’s a holistic strategy: when your nervous system is tuned up and balanced, you simply don’t produce those distress signals as often. You’re addressing stress from the inside out, which is far more effective than a temporary band-aid.
Managing chronic stress isn’t about eliminating every stressor in your life. That’s impossible, and honestly, some stress is a normal part of being human. It’s about helping your body process stress in a healthy way.
Chiropractic care offers a warm, hands-on approach to do just that by tuning your nervous system so it can respond, adapt and recover optimally. When you combine regular adjustments with mindful movement, mental relaxation and good nutrition, you’re giving your body a comprehensive toolkit for wellness.
Over time, those stress “alarms” – the tight muscles, the fatigue, the frazzled feelings – dial down, because your body isn’t stuck in overdrive anymore. Instead of just putting out fires as they pop up, you’ve strengthened your fire prevention system.
In a friendly, down-to-earth way, chiropractic care reminds your body how to heal itself. The next time your stress symptoms start blaring, remember that it’s your body’s call for help, and there are caring, natural ways to answer that call, starting with the gentle touch of chiropractic and the message it sends to your brain: you are safe, you can heal.
Dr. Jeremy Buhay is the owner of Marine Chiropractic and Wellness in Powell River. For information, go to marinechiropractic.ca.
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