When back pain becomes an everyday problem in your life, a chiropractor's visit can help alleviate this issue. A spinal adjustment, in particular, applies targeted force to your spinal column to relieve pain and improve mobility. While many patients see results from this chiropractic care, it is often unclear why these results occur. In short, the response is less a "pop" back in place that one assumes it is, but rather a hormone response from the body's endocrine system. 

The Four Hormones in Blood Plasma

Neurotensin

Neurotensin is believed to help relieve pain and tension caused by stress. It does so by interacting with the serotonin neurons in your brain that regulate mood, appetite, and sleep. Serotonin colloquially gets credit for a general sense of well-being.

Oxytocin

Oxytocin plays a pivotal role in social bonding and intimacy. Known as the "love hormone," it physiologically helps with trust and attachment between humans, namely coming into play during childbirth and breastfeeding. This hormone, however, also associates with fear and anxiety, often heightening a feeling of fight or flight when your body is in distress. When entering your bloodstream, though, it is a natural anti-inflammatory.

Cortisol

Cortisol, a steroid hormone, enters the bloodstream from the adrenal glands to decrease local edema and pain by relieving inflammation. In higher levels, it can even promote wound healing, making increases of cortisol a known natural painkiller.

Orexin A

Orexin A is a neuropeptide, a small protein-like molecule that neurons use to communicate with each other. It is often associated with pain control.

How Chiropractic Adjustments Affect Hormones

When you receive a chiropractic adjustment, your endocrine system—which controls hormone levels—jumps into action. In a 2014 study, researchers monitored a patient's hormone and chemical levels in their bloodstream to determine any changes during this type of chiropractic care. To determine effectiveness based on the area of adjustment, they divided the study into three cases of chiropractic care: cervical manipulation (the neck), thoracic manipulation (mid- and upper back), and nonmanipulation (control). 

What they found were increases in oxytocin and neurotensin in both adjustment groups, which helps treat inflammation and provide pain relief. They also saw an increase in cortisol in the cervical manipulation group, in particular. Orexin A levels were unaffected, noting that the mechanical force allowed the body to synthesize the neuropeptides rather than increase their existence. By initiating this response, chiropractic adjustments create more means of pain relief through hormone secretion while allowing your body to process them better with neurotransmitters. 

Chiropractic adjustments require the skills and qualifications of an expert to perform them safely, which is why you should leave this treatment to a trusted chiropractor. When looking for quality chiropractic care in North Pole, AK, the team at North Pole Chiropractic is here to support you. From neck to back pain and chronic pain relief to accident recovery, their team has a variety of treatment options to suit your needs. For more information and to schedule an appointment, visit their website or call (907) 488-1885 today.