Individuals typically don’t think about their spine as they go through their everyday lives, bending, reaching, twisting, lifting, etc. However, it is through all of these movements/motions that spinal misalignments can occur, causing discomfort, pain, and health problems. This happens gradually, with individuals learning how to live with the misalignment and accepting it as a normal part of life. Spinal misalignments, known as subluxations, are common but can be resolved through chiropractic treatment.

Spinal Misalignment

The spine needs to stay strong, stable, and able to support the musculoskeletal system to keep the body upright and protect the central nervous system. When the spine is properly aligned, the body stays strong and mobile. When the spine is misaligned, it can cause central nervous system dysfunction. Chiropractic is highly effective and non-invasive to improve the body’s health. An individual will want to know if their spine is out of alignment to know what to do and what to avoid when back pain presents. Symptoms that the spine is out of alignment include:

Headaches, Back, and/or Joint Pain

Headaches, joint pain, and backaches can be misalignment symptoms and are the most common. Many individuals learn to live with chronic headaches and migraines but do not realize that chiropractic treatment can help to reduce or, in a case like this, can eliminate them. Back pain, especially low back pain, is another symptom of misalignment. However, there can be a variety of causes, like a herniated disc or degenerative disc disease; a chiropractor will alleviate the pain without medication or surgery. A chiropractor will find the root cause and correct any misalignments.

The Heels of Shoes Wear Out Unevenly

This symptom can come from cheap shoes, but it is often from a misaligned pelvis/pelvic tilt. What happens is the hips are shifted out of their proper position, which causes the feet to land on the ground unevenly.

Stiffness and/or Inability To Turn The Head or Hips

If the neck is stiff, or there is difficulty or pain when turning, or you can hear the neck crack when turning, this is a sure symptom of cervical misalignment. The same is true with the hips. A subluxation can also cause muscles to tighten or damage the connective tissues, like the ligaments or tendons. Individuals can get used to feeling this way, but it can lead to losing the full range of motion, pain, stiffness, and inability to perform certain tasks.

Joint Stiffness, Aches, and Pains

Trying to push through back stiffness and aches and pains is not healthy. Improper ergonomics and postures could be caused by spinal misalignment or could worsen a subluxation causing further injury. A chiropractor will:

• Educate on proper ergonomics
• Show how to improve posture
• Perform adjustments
• Recommend anti-inflammatory supplements
• Perform physical therapeutic massage to eliminate stiffness, alleviate pain, and relieve stress.

Numbness or Tingling in Hands or Feet

This is a sure symptom of a misaligned spine. Numbness and/or tingling sensations often indicate pinched/compressed nerves. The compression or irritation can result in pain or the aforementioned sensations. A chiropractor will ease the pressure on the nerves, allowing for proper circulation and returning the full sensation to the affected area/s.

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Body Composition

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Fiber Health Benefits

Fiber health benefits include lowering the risk of developing diseases like diabetes, obesity, hypertension, and more. It is also beneficial for those who have diabetes to improve insulin sensitivity. Adding more fiber to your diet can enhance weight loss goals. Fruits and vegetables are the highest-fiber foods available.

Fiber and Gut Health

The beneficial bacteria that live in the gut thrive from fruit and vegetable fiber. Because the body does not absorb fiber, the bacteria ferment the fiber. Anti-inflammatory fatty acids are released as a by-product of this process and help protect the gut’s health. They can also help with appetite regulation.

Fiber-Rich Fruits and Veggies

• Apples
• Bananas
• Oranges
• Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Mango
• Guava
• Dark-colored vegetables
• Potatoes

References

Czaprowski, Dariusz, et al. “Non-structural misalignments of body posture in the sagittal plane.” Scoliosis and spinal disorders vol. 13 6. 5 Mar. 2018, doi:10.1186/s13013-018-0151-5

Formica, M et al. “ALIF in the correction of spinal sagittal misalignment. A systematic review of the literature.” The European spine journal: official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society vol. 30,1 (2021): 50-62. doi:10.1007/s00586-020-06598-y

Granacher, Urs, et al. “Effects of core instability strength training on trunk muscle strength, spinal mobility, dynamic balance and functional mobility in older adults.” Gerontology vol. 59,2 (2013): 105-13. doi:10.1159/000343152