A dental visit carries a certain stigma with it, doesn’t it? First, the sterile smell of a medical facility induces a certain uneasiness. Then there’s the uncomfortable chair. And of course, it’s all punctuated by the high pitched, nerve-grating whir of that industrial drill. And that’s just the waiting room!
You’re smart, though. You know what it takes to avoid that dreaded drill bit. You brush 3 times per day and you’re careful to swish with water after eating something especially sugary or acidic. You’ll show your dentist what proper hygiene looks like!
And then he hits you with the C word. You have a cavity.
“How?” you ask, exasperated. “I never miss a brushing.”
“Ah, but do you floss daily?” your dentists asks.
“Uhhh….”
Cavities form in the nooks and crannies. Those hard-to-get-to spots that your brush just doesn’t quite reach. You can brush and swish all you want, but unless you are flossing those tight spaces between your teeth, you will always be more susceptible to cavities and gum disease.
Chiropractic adjustments are like dental floss for your spine. Remember, the purpose of an adjustment is to correct a subluxation, release pressure from the spinal nerve, and allow your body to heal and function with maximum efficiency. A balanced nervous system is the foundation of a healthy body, and when your spinal column shifts from its natural alignment, nerve stress is the result.
As helpful as it is to brush your spine with core work, foam rolling, massage, stretching, inversion tables, etc., it is still not the equivalent of flossing. Exercise and home rehab will certainly improve the health of your spine and help guard against unforeseen injury, but they don’t address the specific misalignments that hide deep within the structure of the spine. It takes the flossing of an adjustment to do that.
Building a strong body around a degenerating spine is like painting shiny white veneers on top of rotting teeth. Except that when your teeth fall apart they don’t impact the health of your entire body like your spine does.
So keep brushing. Do your best to move your body on a daily basis while working in some heavy resistance 2-3 days per week. Use your foam roll or lacrosse ball often. Hang out on the inversion table if you have one. Just don’t make the mistake of thinking that exercise and physical fitness can take the place of your adjustments. While both are essential, they have unique purposes and produce different results.
There is simply no substitute for a chiropractic adjustment when it comes to clearing the nervous system of interference. So no matter how active you are, keep up with your regular schedule of adjustments to ensure that you are living life at your highest level. No drilling. I promise.
Be Your Best,
