Did you know that many people who receive chiropractic care report that it helps with much more than just reducing pain? According to a large recent survey of almost 35 thousand people in the United States, almost 70% of them who had received chiropractic care reported that chiropractic care improved their overall health and made them feel better¹.

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The Rising Problem of Mental Health Disorders

This is especially interesting, considering the amount of stress globally and the rising problem of mental health disorders. Mental health disorders, such as anxiety and depression, are a global issue and have been increasing at concerning rates over the last few decades[^2,3]. In 2017 it was estimated that almost 800 million people lived with a mental health disorder worldwide and depression is considered by the World Health Organization to be one of the leading causes of disability in the world[^2,4].

Can Chiropractic Care Help with Mental Health?

You may be suffering from a mental health disorder yourself, or have in the past, or have a loved one or friend that is struggling with it now. Let’s explore what is known about mental health disorders and how chiropractic care may help.

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The Challenges of Treating Mental Health Disorders

The two most common mental health disorders are anxiety and depression[^2,5]. Mental health disorders can affect people’s daily lives and make everyday things such as sleeping, eating, working, socializing, or looking after your family really difficult[^4,6]. Treatment can often involve a combination of medication, counseling, and self-care strategies like exercise and meditation[^6,7].

Chiropractic Care and The Brain: A New Perspective

But have you ever considered trying chiropractic care? Over the past twenty years, scientists have been exploring how chiropractic care affects a person’s nervous system and they have found that chiropractic care undoubtedly changes the brain[^9,10]. In particular, chiropractic adjustments influence a part of the brain called the pre-frontal cortex².

How Chiropractic Care Influences Emotional Control

The prefrontal cortex is an area of the brain that is heavily involved in emotional control, and it influences our behaviors by dampening what is called the brain’s limbic system³. People with anxiety and depression have been found to have an over-active limbic system⁴ and a low-functioning pre-frontal cortex³.

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The Science Behind Chiropractic Care and Mental Health

Chronic stress usually results in an imbalance in our autonomic nervous system. This imbalance manifests as heightened levels of adrenaline and stress hormones. Chiropractic care has been shown to enhance the healing and calming parasympathetic nervous system, and to change processing within the prefrontal cortex. This could explain why so many people report feeling more relaxed and less stressed after receiving chiropractic care[^17-19].

Research Studies: What They Say About Chiropractic and Mental Health

There isn’t yet a whole lot of research available that examines the effects of chiropractic care on mental health disorders. However, one study published in 2016 by a group of researchers in Spain provides some evidence that chiropractic care may be beneficial for people suffering from anxiety or depression⁵.

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Conclusion: Why Not Give Chiropractic Care a Try?

So if you, or someone you know, is suffering from anxiety, depression, or other mental health disorders, why not visit your family chiropractor to see if chiropractic can help you feel better too.

👉 Call to Action: Don’t wait another day to feel better. Your path to improved mental and physical health starts with one click. Schedule Your Appointment at Tompkins Family Chiropractic

References

1. Adams, J., Peng, W., Cramer, H., Sundberg, T., Moore, C., Amorin-Woods, L., … & Lauche, R. (2017). The prevalence, patterns, and predictors of chiropractic use among US adults. Spine, 42(23), 1810-1816.
2. Dattani, S., Ritchie, H., Roser, H (2021) Mental Health. Published online at OurWorldInData.org. Retrieved from https://ourworldindata.org/mental-health
3. GBD 2017 Disease and Injury Incidence and Prevalence Collaborators. (2018). Global, regional, and national incidence, prevalence, and years lived with disability for 354 diseases and injuries for 195 countries and territories, 1990–2017: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2017. The Lancet. DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(18)32279-7
4. World Health Organisation. (2019). Mental Disorders. Published online at www.who.int. Retreived from https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/mental-disorders
5. Martin P. (2003). The epidemiology of anxiety disorders: a review. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 5(3), 281–298. https://doi.org/10.31887/DCNS.2003.5.3/pmartin
6. Bandelow B, Michaelis S. Epidemiology of anxiety disorders in the 21st century. Dialogues Clin Neurosci. 2015;17(3):327-335. doi:10.31887/DCNS.2015.17.3/bandelow
7. Bandelow, B., Michaelis, S., & Wedekind, D. (2017). Treatment of anxiety disorders. Dialogues in clinical neuroscience, 19(2), 93.
8. Baldwin, R., & Wild, R. (2004). Management of depression in later life. Advances in psychiatric treatment, 10(2), 131-139.
9. Haavik, H., Kumari, N., Holt, K., Niazi, I. K., Amjad, I., Pujari, A. N., … & Murphy, B. (2021). The contemporary model of vertebral column joint dysfunction and impact of high-velocity, low-amplitude controlled vertebral thrusts on neuromuscular function. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 1-46.
10. Haavik, H., Kumari, N., Holt, K., Niazi, I. K., Amjad, I., Pujari, A. N., … & Murphy, B. (2021). The contemporary model of vertebral column joint dysfunction and impact of high-velocity, low-amplitude controlled vertebral thrusts on neuromuscular function. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 1-46.
11. Lelic, D., Niazi, I. K., Holt, K., Jochumsen, M., Dremstrup, K., Yielder, P., … & Haavik, H. (2016). Manipulation of dysfunctional spinal joints affects sensorimotor integration in the prefrontal cortex: a brain source localization study. Neural plasticity, 2016.
12. Del Arco, A., & Mora, F. (2009). Neurotransmitters and prefrontal cortex–limbic system interactions: implications for plasticity and psychiatric disorders. Journal of neural transmission, 116(8), 941-952.
13. Mayberg, H. S. (1997). Limbic-cortical dysregulation: a proposed model of depression. The Journal of neuropsychiatry and clinical neurosciences.
14. Jochum T, Hoyme J, Schulz S, Weißenfels M, Voss A, Bär KJ. Diverse autonomic regulation of pupillary function and the cardiovascular system during alcohol withdrawal. Drug Alcohol Depend. 2016 Feb 1;159:142-51. doi: 10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2015.12.030. Epub 2016 Jan 4. PMID: 26790823.
15. Rottenberg J. Cardiac vagal control in depression: a critical analysis. Biol Psychol. 2007 Feb;74(2):200-11. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2005.08.010. Epub 2006 Oct 12. PMID: 17045728.
16. Yoo, S. J., Ryu, S., Kim, S., Han, H. S., & Moon, C. (2017). Reference module in neuroscience and biobehavioral psychology.
17. Kiani, A. K., Maltese, P. E., Dautaj, A., Paolacci, S., Kurti, D., Picotti, P. M., & Bertelli, M. (2020). Neurobiological basis of chiropractic manipulative treatment of the spine in the care of major depression. Acta bio-medica : Atenei Parmensis, 91(13-S), e2020006. https://doi.org/10.23750/abm.v91i13-S.10536
18. Welch A, Boone R. Sympathetic and parasympathetic responses to specific diversified adjustments to chiropractic vertebral subluxations of the cervical and thoracic spine. J Chiropr Med. 2008 Sep;7(3):86-93. doi: 10.1016/j.jcm.2008.04.001. PMID: 19646369; PMCID: PMC2686395.
19. Budgell, B. S. (2000). Reflex effects of subluxation: the autonomic nervous system. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 23(2), 104-106.
20. Espí-López, G. V., López-Bueno, L., Vicente-Herrero, M. T., Martinez-Arnau, F. M., & Monzani, L. (2016). Efficacy of manual therapy on anxiety and depression in patients with tension-type headache. A randomized controlled clinical trial. International Journal of Osteopathic Medicine, 22, 11-20.

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