Chiropractic Care and Breathing

Chiropractic Care and Breathing

As Chiropractors, our concern is your overall health and function. Although best known as spinal specialists, we take into great consideration how misalignments in your spine can have an impact on the function of many systems and organs in your body because of the connection through the nervous system. With this in mind, we’ve had a number of patients report that they’ve experienced a considerate improvement in their breathing after a course of care. Breathing problems can stem from a number of issues,whether it’s allergies, smoking, asthma, COPD, etc. Chiropractic care has proven to be an effective way to reduce a number of symptoms that come with these problems. The solution comes in looking at the function and alignment of the spine. 

Branching from the spinal column in the thoracic spine are a set of spinal nerves that course through the ribs on both sides. These nerves help send important functional signals from the brain to the chest cavity and lungs that are held within in. The chest cavity is comprised of ribs joined directly to the spine, as well as the many intricate muscles that bind the ribs together. The lungs get their own involuntary signals from nerves that travel through the thoracic spine. Just like any other area in the spine, if misalignments occur, this can change the effectiveness of signals coming from the brain to the lungs and chest wall. This then limits the overall function of these parts, often leading to an inability to expand the chest and lungs when inhaling or exhaling, at least to full capacity. Limitations like these make a person more susceptible to disease and further health issues when the lungs aren’t able to function at full capacity. Even changes in the function and alignment of your neck can lead to breathing as well, often limiting the nerves that travel down to your lungs and diaphragm (important breathing muscle). 

Poor posture and breathing problems often go hand in hand.Chronic poor postures can lead to not only limitations in the nervous system, but also in the movement patterns of the joints surrounding the spine. Poor postures often lead to decreased mobility in spinal joints, especially those connecting the ribs to the spine. Hunched over postures reduce the area available for the chest wall to expand when breathing, limiting the capacity to breathe in and out. The longer these restrictions occur, muscles adapt and sustain contracted tension, making it even harder for the ribs to expand when breathing. That’s why it’s always good to look to the spine to see what changes in your posture are leading to changes in your ability to breathe. 

Your Mississauga Chiropractor provides a natural and effective way to improve overall function of your body. If you’ve noticed that your breathing has become more difficult or limited over the years, it’s best to consult your Mississauga Chiropractor to see what the source of the issue may be. You deserve to be at your best, being able to breathe at your best for high energy, productivity and being at your best in everything you love to do.If you have any questions or would like to book an appointment with us today, contact us at (905)821-4951.