How Chiropractic Care Can Help Depression

Depression is a growing worldwide illness. An estimated 16 million Americans have at least one major depressive episode every year. This number seems to only be growing as we face uncertain times, loneliness, and anxiety from social distancing measures. While sadness is a very normal emotion as a human being, chronic feelings of helplessness and loss of interest can significantly affect our quality of life. There are many underlying issues that can contribute to and perpetuate symptoms of depression that we will explore in this article.

Symptoms of depression

While exact symptoms will vary from person to person, here are some common issues that present with depression:

• Feelings of sadness, emptiness, or hopelessness for greater than a few weeks
• Poor anger management skills
• Irritability and mood swings
• Loss of interest in normal daily activities
• Suicidal thoughts (*if you are experiencing these thoughts- seek medical help immediately)
• Anxiety
• Restlessness

Risk factors for depression

There are several different types of depression that can be diagnosed by a healthcare professional. These include seasonal, postpartum, major depressive and bipolar disorder. Onset of depression is usually caused by a blend of the following factors:

• Chronic pain
• Sedentary lifestyle
• Poor diet
• Traumatic events
• Altered brain chemistry
• Hormone imbalances
• Side-effects of certain medications
• Low self-esteem
• Genetic predisposition
• Drug or alcohol addiction
• Chronic disease like diabetes, cancer, or multiple sclerosis

Chiropractic care and depression

Regardless of what initiated a bout of depression, chiropractic care can be a very useful adjunct to any recommended treatment. Common treatment recommendations for depression include lifestyle modification (exercise, diet, mindfulness, etc.) and antidepressant medications. Did you know that chiropractic care can potentially help expedite the recovery process or make symptoms more manageable?

Chiropractic care has been shown to improve sleep, reduce pain, and instill an overall sense of well being; all great ways to feel in better control of depression. Additionally, the very literal health of the brain and spinal cord can be influenced by encouraging spine health. Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP) specializes in addressing spine and neural health by promoting optimal spine alignment.

CBP care and depression

When the spine is out of alignment, it affects overall nerve energy in the body. This blocked nerve flow affects every single bodily function, including brain function and the way we process our emotions. Spine misalignment is a common underlying issue for many organ dysfunctions that can be addressed by an expertly trained CBP practitioner, whether we realize there is an issue or not. This non-invasive, extensively researched approach can help restore balance to an out of sync nervous system.

CBP care has the potential for improving brain chemistry, down regulating certain genes, and helping you feel motivated to tackle your health issues, like depression, head-on. When the spine is better aligned, both the body and mind may have the opportunity to function at their highest potential. Talk to a CBP practitioner today to see if their care might be right for you in battling depression and other health issues.