An estimated one in every five Americans faces different mental health issues, ranging from stress and depression to anxiety disorders. Unfortunately, most of those affected haven’t received help, mostly because of societal ignorance and stigmatization of mental illnesses. There is also limited access to mental health services, forcing most affected persons to struggle in silence.
While it isn’t a substitute for psychiatric interventions, chiropractic services can improve mental illnesses in several ways. For starters, chiropractors are more accessible than mental healthcare professionals. Chiropractors can also alleviate various symptoms of mental illnesses.
Symptoms of Mental Health Issues that Chiropractors Can Relieve
Chiropractic care can help mental health patients. However, it isn’t a substitute for first-line interventions, such as medication and talk therapy. Chiropractic interventions won’t cure mental illnesses or stabilize depression and mania. However, they can improve quality of life by relieving the following symptoms of mental illnesses:
- Headaches and migraines
- Fatigue and insomnia
- Muscle stiffness and tension
- Irritability or inability to relax
How Chiropractic Care Helps Mental Illnesses
Chiropractic interventions use natural, non-invasive and mind-body approaches. While chiropractors popularly use spinal adjustments to treat various conditions, they can perform other interventions, such as massages, stretches, supplements, and exercise to improve your health. Below are the benefits of chiropractic care to mental health.
Patients with anxiety and depression often experience significant muscle tension, headaches, and stiffness. Chiropractic interventions improve spinal and musculoskeletal health, relieving muscle tension and tightness. Relieving these symptoms goes a long way in helping patients with mental health conditions improve their rest and relaxation.
Releases Positive Hormones
Chiropractic adjustments trigger the release of feel-good hormones, such as cortisol and oxytocin, in the body. These hormones improve patients’ overall health and well-being by reducing stress, alleviating pain, social bonding, and general mental state.
Find the Balance Between Mind and Body
Nearly everything in human life, including health, relies on finding the right balance. Balancing the mind and body helps improve the quality of life of those struggling with anxiety and depression. Chiropractic interventions correct spinal misalignments, which helps the body function optimally. Optimal body functioning frees the mind to focus on healing. Balancing spinal health, exercise, nutrition, and other chiropractic interventions improve mental and physical health.
Sleep deprivation and deficiency exacerbate various symptoms of anxiety, stress, and depression. For instance, patients with depression can either suffer from insomnia or sleep excessively. Chiropractic treatments and massage therapy can significantly improve sleep patterns.
Most people with mental illnesses aren’t willing to seek additional help. Patients often can’t think clearly, probably because of brain fog, inability to focus, and other reasons. Chiropractic care relieves muscle tension and promotes relaxation, making it easier for such patients to think clearly. Mental clarity allows such patients to think of better ways of dealing with their mental illnesses.
Spinal adjustments help ease back and muscle pain. Other chiropractic interventions strengthen the mind and body, helping patients take charge of their physical and emotional stressors. While chiropractic care can’t heal mental health disorders, it helps relieve symptoms of mental illnesses.