Dr. Smith with Your Health - Chiropractic and the Immune System

Chiropractic Therapy and the Immune System
by Dr. Brian A. Smith, D.C.

The basis of chiropractic practice is the effect of the nervous system on every cell in our body. Over 65 years ago a chiropractic text stated that immunity was dependent upon the perfect transmission of mental impulses over the nervous system. Medical "science" scoffed at the idea of any connection between the nervous and immune systems for decades. A subspecialty in the medical field, neuroimmunology, has spent a great amount of time over the last 3 decades tracing the connections between the two systems which were foretold in chiropractic texts.

A main tenet of chiropractic practice is that a faulty relationship between two spinal vertebrae, called a chiropractic subluxation, will cause a change in the information transmitted over the nerves that enter and exit the spinal cord at that level. The spinal cord is housed within the spinal column and can be loosely considered as the "highway" over which information to and from the brain travels. Information enters and exits that "highway" through 31 paired "off-ramps" called the spinal nerves. These spinal nerves travel in between the moveable spinal vertebra. When there exists a problem in the spine, such as a segment not moving correctly, it has been proven that there is a change in the function of the nerves at that level. This change of function may manifest in many different ways. The easiest ones to measure are physical changes. Differences in the tightness and function of muscles have been shown, as has a difference in the amount of sweat secreted by sweat glands. There are also noticeable changes in the sensitivity of the skin.

Most people are familiar with someone who has had whiplash and complains of pain in the arm or someone who has hurt their back and now the pain travels down their leg. This is due to nerve irritation. If we consider our internal organs, the same thing can happen but instead of "pain" in the liver, we have a liver that doesn't function quite right. The immune system is constantly sending a stream of information into the nervous system over those spinal nerves. The large amount of information transmitted during an infection can cause a "spill over" to adjacent nerves going to spinal muscles. This causes those muscles to tighten up and prevent the vertebra from moving correctly. This subluxation causes more errors in the information transmitted over the nerves and now we have a spiral effect: subluxation causes aberrant nerve information causes tighter muscles causes less vertebra movement, that is greater subluxation, causing aberrant nerve information causing ....

Many of the nervous systems chemical messengers also "talk" directly to the immune system. It has been shown that the amounts of these messengers are changed when there is a subluxation. The changes in the amounts are significant enough to suppress immune function.

The chiropractic adjustment serves to correct the abnormal position of the vertebra, thereby reducing the amount of nerve interference. Keeping the nervous system clear and able to communicate with the body allows us to respond quicker and more effectively to an infection. It also has a stress relieving effect which will be beneficial to the immune system. Anything you can do to reduce stress in your life, including physical stress such as tight muscles, will help your immune system.

Research has shown a definite correlation between the chiropractic adjustment and improved immune function. One nervous system chemical that affects the proliferation of T-lymphocytes, substance P, has been shown to be increased after a chiropractic adjustment. Another study showed a consistent increase in T-4 lymphocytes in patients who have regular chiropractic care. Studies are continuing to determine what is the optimum treatment frequency. This is usually determined by patient response, as each body responds differently to an infection.

A body can not function properly if the nervous system is "out of whack." Do yourself (and your immune system) a favor and get checked out by a chiropractic doctor.

The purpose of this article is to provide information only and should not be construed as a recommendation of a course of action. Please consult with a qualified health professional before making any decisions regarding your treatment.

Dr. Brian A. Smith is a chiropractic doctor and naturopathic physician who has specialized in the treatment of immune-suppressed individuals since 1987. He is a scientific advisory board member of AIDS ReSEARCH Alliance.

He maintains a private practice in Los Angeles and can be reached at (323) 306-4909. Questions from readers are welcome as are suggestions for future articles. You can also contact him via E-mail at: Send e-mail to Dr. Smith

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Articles by Dr. Brian A. Smith:

HIV and CHIRO † VITAMIN C † BETA-CAROTENE † MINERALS † DMG † PROTEIN † DIET & HIV † MORE ON PROTEIN † NUTRITION † DHEA † LIVER † CHIRO † NAC † SILVER † ALT THERAPIES †