February is National/ American Heart Health Month. Please enjoy the quick read below.
6 Heart Health Benefits of Chiropractic Care
There are six proven ways chiropractic care helps prevent or treat cardiovascular disease:
- Lowers blood pressure – studies show a significant improvement in blood pressure when chiropractors adjust the 1st vertebra, called the Atlas (1).
- Improves nerve function of the heart – this is called the autonomic tone, and it impacts the heart, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, kidneys, bladder, sex organs and just about every other part of the body (2).
- Decreases blood markers of inflammation – the more inflammation, the greater your risk of cardiovascular events (3).
- Improves heart rate variability – the more your heart rate bounces around, the longer you will live. Many patients with severe heart issues have problems in this area (4).
- Decreases chest pain – millions of hospital visits for chest pain can be avoided by referral or chiropractic care (5). A huge reason I refer patients to chiropractors is that chest pain is often musculoskeletal in nature. Most patients can be quickly assessed and once a doctor determines that the heart is not involved, curative therapy from a doctor of chiropractic is imperative. Patients do not need the “million dollar work-up”, they need an adjustment. Costochondritis, rib misalignment, or thoracic vertebrae subluxation are all causes of chest pain and shortness of breath that will respond to chiropractic care.
- Improves lung function – chiropractic care has been proven effective in patients with asthma and emphysema (6) and poor lung function has been linked to heart failure.
1. J Hum Hypertens. 2007 May; 21(5): 347-52
2. J Chiropr Med. 2008 Sep; 7(3): 86-93
3. J Chiropr Med. 2010 Sep; 9(3): 107-14
4. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2006 May; 29(4): 267-74