Patients across Australia often seek chiropractic care for neck and back pain caused by spinal misalignments. Other less recognizable symptoms can include numbness or tingling in the hands and feet, fatigue, frequent illnesses, and headaches. If you have been feeling unwell or encountered some of these symptoms, there is a possibility you could have a misaligned spine, also known as vertebral subluxation. Not sure how this could have occurred? Today, Toorak Chiropractor will explore the top 3 most common stressors of spinal misalignment.
What are the 3 most common stressors of spinal misalignment in Australia?
Stress in general can present itself in one (in some cases more) of three forms: Physical Stress, Emotional Stress, and/or Chemical Stress.
1. Physical stress.
The most obvious form of physical stress is a serious injury. A serious injury is an injury that has taken place because of an individual event. Some examples of serious injury can include pulling a muscle, slipping over fracturing your wrist, and dislocating a shoulder; these are examples of serious injuries that constitute a form of physical stress. Serious injuries can cover everything from pulled muscles, fractures, dislocations and ligament sprains.
When it comes to chiropractic care, not all types of physical stress come in such obvious form. One of the most common and under-treated forms of physical stress takes place from an established condition or overuse, both of which are also known as chronic stress. The build-up of sitting with poor posture daily or going to the gym and training frequently can create stress on the body that can be just as harmful as any obvious injury.
There are many available approaches to treating physical stress and in turn achieving optimal spinal health. Book a consultation with Toorak Chiropractor today to find out how we can help you.
Examples of physical stress impacting spinal misalignment include:
- Going to the gym.
- Poor ergonomics.
- Sitting or standing incorrectly.
2. Emotional stress.
We have discussed physical stress, which is stress on the body that is visible in poor posture or in the form of an injury. Now, we will cover emotional stress, which can be just as harmful to your body yet again, not visibly apparent as physical stress. It is said that emotional stress is one of the most significant challenges we face in achieving overall wellness.
We know that emotional stress can become stored in various areas of your body — most commonly your jaw, upper back muscles, and upper neck. It is common for this tension to cause your spinal bones to shift out of alignment. As a result, this shift can irritate the vital nerves that sit in a space between your spinal bones.
Your nerves are very fragile and minor distortions in your spine’s alignment have a very serious effect because spinal abnormalities can harm your nervous system, and potentially reduce the function of your brain.
Emotional stress can be harmful to your wellness and health, but remember there is more than one way to manage, mitigate, and reduce emotional stress to minimise the impact it has on our spinal health.
Examples of emotional stress impacting spinal misalignment include:
- Family Issues.
- Work Stresses.
- Relationship stresses.
- Depression & anxiety.
3. Chemical stress.
In addition, to Physical and Emotional stress, your body can suffer from Chemical stress. Chemical stress is caused by toxins in your environment. Chemical stress includes everything from the air you breathe, the foods and drinks you consume to the medication you take.
Eating a diet high in processed foods or foods high in sugar and saturated fat can deprive your body of the nutrients it needs. Over time chemical stress can add significant weight to your body’s structure and as a result cause physical stress on your spine and impact its natural alignment. There are ways to mitigate chemical stress on your body and it is crucial to consider the following influences.
Nutrition – Proper nutrition is fundamental to reducing chemical stress. Although unseen, poor nutrition can significantly contribute to your risk of injury.
Alcohol. In countless cases, individuals turn to alcohol to relieve emotional or even physical stress, and it can unknowingly create chemical stress. Consuming an average of more than 2 drinks a day can significantly increase the chemical pressure on your skeletal system and as a result, spinal misalignment may occur.
Nicotine. It is a well-known fact that cigarettes are harmful to the body, and they are a primary contributor to chemical stress.
More examples of chemical stress impacting spinal misalignment include:
- Toxins.
- Alcohol.
- Drugs.
- Medications.
If you are experiencing concerns with spinal misalignment, please contact Dr. Josh Cogoi at Toorak Chiropractor today.
