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The Mind-Body Connection of Health

When it comes to healing, health, and function, its a full package deal.  

The fact that time brain control the body is just common sense.  This is brain-body control.  Than much is a "no brainer".

But we now know that the ​body also controls the brain.  That's right -- there is also body-mind control.  How does that work?

Well, medical research is delivering better and better insights about how things that go on in the body actually change the brain and influence the conscious and subconscious mind.  For example, the Journal of Neurology in 2004 published a paper that concluded that a 1-year duration of back pain caused atrophy (shrinkage) in a specific area of the brain that was the equivalent of a 20-year aging of the brain in that area.  How's that for the body effecting the brain?  

We also know that pain in the body also alters the control of body movement immediately at all levels.  This change occurs in the central nervous system, and the changes do not necessarily just bounce back to normal after pain subsides.  Normal movement usually has to be retrained and relearned because of the changes that the body produced on the brain.  It is now well understood that pain causes movement amnesia in the brain, and a reduction of central nervous system discrete movement control, a process called motor smudging.  We also know that pain and the related altered movements can trigger a cascade of fear avoidance, a mental process that is often subconscious that becomes a pathologically driven basis to avoid expected pain. 

More interesting still, is that recent research has shown that spinal manipulation (chiropractic care) causes the cerebellum (primary subconscious movement control and movement coordination center in the brain) to produce movement patterns at are are more normal.  That means that chiropractic adjustments and spinal manipulation set the stage for better and more effective movement and performance training.  Kind of like opening the door to better results.  

Its also no surprise that the mind-body connection also effects healing.  We have known for a long time that a person who expects that they won't get better usually won't.  That also means that a person who expects to get better improved their recovery.  

The mind-body and body-mind connections are complex and sophisticated, and highly relevant to healing and recovery from back pain, neck pain, muscle and joint pain, injuries like whiplash and disc herniations, fibromyalgia, and surgery recovery.  No wonder world-claimed academic centers, like Harvard University, have entire departments devoted to research and better understanding of these directions, including how alternative therapies like chiropractic care and even self-help initiatives like prayer aid and assist better health and healing. 

Maybe it's time to get smart about better care, and get your head – and your body– in the game together.  We can show you how. 

If you are looking for a Tacoma Chiropractor, Fircrest Chiropractor, or University Place Chiropractor who is highly trained to provide leading edge and effective care for back pain relief, neck pain relief, neuropathy, whiplash, disc herniations, hip and knee care, shoulder and rotator cuff care, and more, give us a call.  We are here to help.  253-564-1288

Author
Austin McMillin Chiropractor

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