You might not expect it, but being able to breathe easier is the most common “side-effect” of chiropractic care. Neck aches and back aches are what most people think about when it comes to chiropractic care, but according to the research people with breathing problems are the ones who should be making an appointment with their closest upper cervical chiropractor.
You’re thinking…
“Wait. What?
I had no idea chiropractic care can help with breathing problems. And what the heck is upper cervical chiropractic?”
It’s OK. Just breathe (wink), and we’ll explain everything!
The reason that being able to breathe easier is the most commonly reported effect of chiropractic care is because there’s a direct connection between the nerve centers that control breathing and the spine. Well… not the entire spine, just the upper cervical spine directly influences the cardiorespiratory centers (the nerve centers that control breathing).
To breathe well and get a fill up your lungs with life sustaining oxygen you need both muscles and nerves to work together. Many of the muscles used in breathing you can voluntarily control and get stronger with certain exercises, but if that alone doesn’t work you have to look at the nerves… because if the nerves that control breathing aren’t working well you can’t breathe well. And there’s not much you can do on your own to make those nerves work better – that’s where the upper cervical chiropractic comes in.
It goes like this… the nerve centers that control and coordinate all the breathing muscles (cardiorespiratory centers) are influenced by nerve signals coming from the upper neck. So if the upper neck isn’t aligned properly and if the muscles in the neck are always tight then the signals being sent to the cardiorespiratory centers will be a little off… and then your breathing will be a little (or sometimes a lot) off. It’s all part of the autonomic nervous system and its why upper neck problems can cause problems all over the body.
Beside proper nervous system function there are other things that can help you breathe better. Eating an anti-inflammatory diet can be very helpful. Following the “whole 30 diet” is a great place to start. Learning to manage your stress can help you breathe better. Regular exercise, especially yoga, can help reduce stress levels.
You can even leverage technology to help improve your breathing. Search your favorite app store for breathing and meditation apps and you’ll be shocked at how many are available to download for free.
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