Habibat Oyindamola Tinubu is a chiropractor located in Los Angeles, California. In the following article, Habibat explains why many people are surprised to learn that chiropractic care not only benefits one’s physical health, but also has a positive impact on mental health and overall well-being.
The recent rise of “wellness awareness” has certainly brought one aspect to light — the unignorable mind-body connection. Researchers are exploring this factor now more than ever before, positing the idea that chiropractic care should be considered a viable treatment for mood disorders and mental health concerns.
Habibat Oyindamola Tinubu says that for those who choose to take a holistic approach to mental health and the nervous system, it has opened up many facets for dealing with stress, depression, anxiety, and more. After all, manipulation of the spine and muscles may not seem to be related to mental health, but digging deeper has actually given researchers evidence to suggest the opposite.
Chiropractic Care Goes Far Beyond the Physical
Commonly, many people believe that chiropractic care is only useful for treating physical pain or mobility issues after an accident or injury. While this type of care is most often used in these situations, patients are increasingly seeking out chiropractors to address wellness and mental health issues as well.
Habibat Oyindamola Tinubu says that the often-overlooked relationship between mental health and chiropractic care is based on blood flow improvements to the brain, which occur with strategic spinal and upper-neck adjustments.
For those looking for a way to calm anxiety and depression, visiting a chiropractor is an ultra-exciting prospect. It presents an entirely natural option that offers additional advantages beyond pain relief and overall health.
Researchers Respond to The Newfound Link
As more people began seeking chiropractic care for its anecdotal positive mental health effects, researchers began exploring it within more reliable settings.
Habibat Tinubu reports that a 2018 study found individuals with tension-type headaches and major depression to often experience long-term relief with a series of chiropractic treatments. Since researchers are now able to track noticeable improvements in the autonomic nervous system, this evidence is far more conclusive than predated studies.
Another test showed that these benefits are heavily tied to the way in which cervical adjustments remove nerve interference to regulate the sympathetic nerves responsible for the brain’s fight-or-flight response, as well as other triggers.
All this evidence proves that chiropractic adjustment could become a mainstream treatment for mental health concerns, activating a relief “switch” for such conditions.
Mental Health Treatments Aren’t One-Size-Fits-All
Habibat Oyindamola Tinubu explains that since mental health problems vary wildly from condition to condition and person to person, chiropractic care isn’t a one-size-fits-all situation. It may work for one patient and not for another.
However, Habibat notes that those who typically suffer from depression and anxiety will seek such care for “mental support”, because chiropractic adjustments can relieve the physical manifestations of these mood disorders, like:
- The inability to relax.
- Bodily aches and pains.
- Migraines or headaches.
- Stiffness and muscle tension.
- Insomnia, or the inability to sleep, and fatigue.
Habibat Oyindamola Tinubu explains that these often-debilitating symptoms cause patients to find fulfilling everyday life and work duties to be a serious challenge. So, while chiropractic care may not impact the underlying causes of mental health problems (like trauma, developmental trauma, social situations, etc.), it can treat physical symptoms exceptionally well.
Chiropractic Care Proves Useful for Easing Anxiety and Stress
Chiropractors look for specific locations across the nervous system that are unbalanced, which often includes the spine’s misaligned vertebra (a.k.a. subluxations).
Habibat Oyindamola Tinubu explains that upon locating the subluxations, they manipulate and realign the spine to release nerve pressure while relieving discomfort and stress. Many patients find that the muscle tension responsible for creating tense mental states is also relieved during chiropractic sessions.
Commonly, the relief experienced after adjustments promotes mental clarity, with evidence showing that the hormones released (i.e., oxytocin and cortisol) after the treatment positively impact mood.
Essentially, the release of pressure unblocks pathways in the nervous system, allowing healthy blood and unrestrained nutrients to flow throughout the whole body. Overall, this contributes to a relieved mental state.
Chiropractic Care – the Next Best Treatment for Mental Health
Habibat Oyindamola Tinubu says that viewing anxiety and depression through the mind-body connection lens allows an understanding of how chiropractic care is a beneficial treatment for such mood disorders.
While it has yet to become a mainstream practice in the mental health world, many patients are already experiencing freedom from pain and tension after chiropractic adjustments. Thus, many experts believe it will soon make its way into the arena of commonplace mental health treatments, and patients around the country can benefit from it.
