Chiropractic care improves the function of your nervous system, and thus, the immune system. It has a direct connection with the endocrine system and autonomic nervous system. Your immune system is constantly protecting you from a barrage of bacteria, viruses, and foreign organisms. As your stress hormone cortisol goes up, your immune system goes down. The immune system plays such an enormous role in the overall health of literally every cell and tissue in the body. Not only is its job to protect you from coughs and colds but also it helps fight against cancer, repair damaged joints and slow down the aging process. An unbalanced immune system will increase inflammation (pain, arthritis, allergies) while lowering the defenses against bacteria and viruses.
Chiropractic has a long history of naturally influencing the immune system. The evidence of the 1918 flu epidemic success was a major impact on legalization of chiropractic care in the United States. While currently, chiropractic care is most often associated with back pain, neck pain, posture, and headaches the early evidence supports and wholistic approach.
- During the 1918 influenza epidemic, Davenport, Iowa, medical doctors treated 4,953 influenza cases with 274 deaths. At the same time, 150 chiropractors, students and faculty of Palmer School of Chiropractic treated 1,635 cases during the influenza epidemic with only one death.
- The state of Iowa reports medical doctors treated 93,590 influenza patients with 6,116 deaths or one out of 15. The rest of the state, except for Davenport, reported 4,735 patients treated by chiropractor care with a loss of 6 which is 1 out of 789 during the influenza epidemic.
- Research demonstrated in HIV positive patients a 46% in the number of CD4 cells (important component of the immune system). While the control group that was not adjusted demonstrated a 7.69% decrease in the CD4 cells.
Dr. Dave is a chiropractor and personal trainer located in Santa Rosa, California who has been helping clients achieve goals of pain relief and weight loss since 2005. Click here to learn more about Dr. Dave’s Santa Rosa and Sebastopol Chiropractic services.
