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The human body is an extremely well-designed but imperfect mechanism. Your natural immune system is capable of filtering toxins, attacking antibodies, and healing injuries, but it often needs help from external sources to keep it functioning properly. For example, your doctor may prescribe you antibiotics to assist your body in building antibodies to fight a bacterial infection. Or they may suggest dietary changes to improve your natural immune system.
When it comes to your musculoskeletal and circulatory health, you sometimes need a little help expelling harmful toxins that are trapped inside your muscles and joints.
The medical professionals at ChiroCare of Florida believe that regular spinal adjustments are as important to your overall health as maintaining a balanced diet, exercising, and avoiding harmful habits. Call today to schedule an appointment. We accept most major insurers.
The word “toxin” gets thrown around casually in healthcare articles and podcasts without explanation way too often. So, let’s dive a little deeper into the types of toxins that chiropractors are referring to.
There are many kinds of toxins that can cause inflammation in the joints, and they can come from several sources, such as the food you eat, the air you breathe, and even items that you come in contact with throughout your day. These toxins can build in your joints and remain there until they are released. These inflammatory toxins include:
When you consume food, your body distributes the nutrients, which then use these molecules to construct various proteins, acids, and enzymes. However, there are byproduct molecules that aren’t particularly useful to your cells and organs. If you’re healthy, you expel most of these toxins through your natural process (urination, sweat, etc.) Depending on your diet, metabolism, circulatory health, etc., you may still have these toxins in your joints and muscles. These metabolic toxins might include CO2, Urea, Creatinine, Ammonia, Bilirubin, and the uric and lactic acid we mentioned in the previous section.
Most people don’t think about the fact that most human cells don’t always live such long lives. Some cells survive for years, but others are more or less disposable, living for only a few hours. Cellular turnover is healthy, but when the body breaks down dead cells, it sometimes leaves a trail of cellular components. This debris should be cleared by the body’s lymphatic system, but it often builds up, causing inflammation and blockages.
Now that we’ve identified what toxins are, we’re going to use the general term “toxins” since chiropractic adjustments and massage usually attack buildups of all toxin concentrations in a particular area.
After reading the last section, you’re probably thinking, “I must have some toxin buildups. How do I get rid of them?” Some types of toxins are to be expected, but to know if you have a concerning buildup of toxins, you should ask your primary care physician for a blood test. Specifically, tell them you’re worried about heavy metals and other dangerous toxins.
Scheduling chiropractic adjustments and massage can also help release toxins so your body can dispose of them. Our chiropractors can find areas of blockage that can lead to toxin deposits. Here are a few of the benefits that you can expect.
If you’re suffering from joint pain, there’s a good chance that toxins are at play. This isn’t always the case. Joint pain can also be caused by pinched nerves, torn ligaments, infection, and a number of other issues. However, your chiropractor should be able to properly diagnose the source of your pain.
If you do have toxin buildup in the muscles or joints, we will probably recommend a combination of massages and regular adjustments. The massages will free lactic acid and other toxin buildups in the muscles, while chiropractic adjustments will improve spinal and joint health, allowing the toxins to be disposed of through your body’s natural processes.
If toxins are responsible for your pain, these measures should help.
It stands to reason that toxins in the body would adversely affect the immune system, but it bears further explanation. Heavy metals in the body can harm cells related to your body’s immune functions (i.e., macrophages, lymphocytes, and NK cells). If these cells aren’t healthy, harmful pathogens are more likely to take root. Additionally, the chronic inflammation associated with cellular toxins can provide friendly environments for bacteria and viruses to breed. Heavy metals can trigger reactive oxygen species, which damage cells and tissue. By helping the body to eliminate these toxins, it should strengthen your body’s immune system.
One key benefit of chiropractic adjustments is the removal of blockages. Because blood vessels and nerves wind in and out of our joints, when the spine and other joints are out of alignment, circulation to the areas they service is reduced. These blockages can lead to pain, swelling, poor cellular health in the affected region, and more.
Some of our patients experience soreness and discomfort in the immediate hours or even days after adjustment. This is almost always part of the process, and if it happens to you, it shouldn’t deter you from future treatments. Of course, if you’re concerned, you can contact our office. But if you’re curious why it’s happening, this section should clear up misconceptions about mild soreness.
To begin with, if you’re new to chiropractic medicine, it can be a little bit of a workout. No, you’re not likely to break a sweat, but your chiropractor is going to stretch you in ways you’re not used to. It’s similar to the feeling you might get after a workout or intense stretching session.
Your spine is also being readjusted. We want to put it back where it belongs — properly aligned. However, your body may resist this adjustment. After all, there are reasons why you shifted out of alignment. It could be the way you sit, how you bend, something you pick up, etc. Your body may feel comfortable with the misalignment in the short term, but an aligned spine will yield many health benefits.
Unless you have an existing condition that is causing you pain, chiropractic adjustments shouldn’t be painful. In most situations, you’ll feel the tension leaving your body. Massage, on the other hand, can be a little uncomfortable during the session as the therapist manipulates the muscles and rubs knots out.
In the hours after these treatments, you may feel mild soreness in the affected areas. This should gradually pass. Some patients take an over-the-counter pain reliever (i.e., ibuprofen, acetaminophen, or aspirin) to help with the discomfort. It’s also important to stay hydrated as your body adjusts to the treatment.
As toxins are freed from your muscles and joints and enter your bloodstream, your body works hard to eliminate them. This could make you feel like you have low energy. If possible, a nap might help, but either way, make sure you get a good night’s rest after an adjustment. Your body continues to heal after your adjustments, so expect a little fatigue.
One of the main ways that your body releases toxins is through urination, which is another reason that you will want to drink extra water after your adjustment. Think of it this way: every time you urinate, toxins are leaving your body. That should make the increased urgency a little less annoying. If, after a few days, your urination doesn’t return to normal, call your doctor or a urologist. You may have a condition that’s unrelated to your adjustments.
After a few adjustments, you’ll get used to these mild inconveniences, and again, they usually only last for a day or two at most.
Most people have toxins in their system. One of the main benefits of chiropractic adjustments is that they help your body eliminate them fast. Allowing toxins to build up can result in medical conditions, ranging from small aches and pains to severe inflammation and infection.
Persistent inflammation is not only uncomfortable, but it can put you at risk for more severe conditions. It will affect your mobility, can make the inflamed areas more susceptible to infections, and may cause you to adjust the way you sit, stand, walk, and lie in bed, which can throw your body out of alignment.
Inflammation related to toxins can make it more difficult to bend at the affected joints, reducing mobility. In addition, toxicity can adversely affect the synovial fluids that lubricate the joints, which can further erode your ability to move.
Toxins in the joints can trigger your body’s immune system. When this happens, the antibodies can mistakenly attack the tissues in the joint. This is one of the causes of rheumatoid arthritis.
Regular chiropractic treatments can help you avoid these toxin-related conditions. Schedule yours with ChiroCare of Florida today.
One of the best ways to have all your questions answered is to schedule an appointment with ChiroCare of Florida and speak to one of our medical professionals. In the meantime, here are some of the questions our chiropractors hear from patients.
Most of us have some level of toxins in our joints. A chiropractic adjustment can free toxins, improve blood flow, reduce pain, and improve mobility.
Among the toxins that typically build in the joints are uric acid, advanced glycation end products (AGEs), heavy metals (i.e. lead, mercury, etc.), endotoxins, oxidative stress, and cytokines.
It would be difficult to know without conducting a full examination, but if you have not recently received chiropractic care, there is a good chance that toxins are contributing to your pain.
Chirocare has offices throughout South Florida. Contact us today to schedule a consultation.
