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Feeling
Edgy?
Stress Need
Not Overwhelm Us |
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Stress seems
to be the villain of our times. No matter where we turn, stress
appears to be the cause of every ailment, from heart attack to
stroke, colitis to cancer, anxiety to anorexia.
It's
interesting that no one ever tells us what stress is! We have made
stress out to become an intangible, esoteric, invisible aggressor
that wreaks havoc with our body.
Stress, however, has very
real physiological manifestations:
First, stress is an
outside input, force, or information that is perceived by our
nervous system. If our nervous system is at ease and flexible, the
incoming stress will be dealt with properly in a non-threatening
manner. On the other hand, if the nervous system is already
overloaded, the new event will be viewed as overwhelming, and
absorbed in a destructive manner that will trigger a cascade of
physiological events.
Second, in the latter situation, the
tension of the nerves will increase causing them to fire excessively
into the muscles, causing them to tighten. This is commonly referred
to as being "wired up," strung out," or "ready to snap." These terms
are common yet very accurate ways of describing what actually takes
place internally.
Third, since muscles are attached to
various adjacent bones of the skeletal system, it causes them to
move and shift in relationship to each other. This new distortion is
of no apparent consequence when it disturbs an arm or a leg. But
when it disturbs the delicate balance of the spinal column which
houses and protects the spinal cord and nerves, it has significant
physiological effects on the overall functioning and performance of
our body. This is when we hear people saying, "It's a pain in the
neck," or "Back off!" or "The weight of responsibilities is bearing
down on me!" The associated posture is head down, rounded shoulders,
along with the body flexed forward or stooped over like Danny DeVito
when things are not going his way.
Finally, the cumulative
effects of increased nerve tension, muscular tightness and skeletal
distortions leads to subluxations of the spine. This further
disrupts the nervous system and sets up a vicious cycle. All this
has repercussions on the internal organs because as time marches on,
and as stress begins to erode the body, physiological breakdowns
begin to appear followed by symptoms, pathological breakdowns, and
dis-eases.
Everyone has experienced stress at one time or
another as tension in the neck, upper or lower back, followed by an
edginess difficult to control. Rather than waiting for symptoms, it
is a lot easier to prevent the potentially devastating effects of
stress by keeping the nervous system flexible, supple, and
adaptable.
We can counteract the effects of stress at the
location where it first affects the body: the neuromuscular/spinal
system.
The regular adjustment of subluxations and the
clearing of the nervous system associated with Chiropractic care
resets the system, and helps to prevent overload. This permits more
effective and deeper perceptions of reality, greater capacity to
adapt and recover from stress, along with freer individual
expression and overall health and well-being.
That's what
Chiropractic is all about!
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Ithaca, New York 14850 
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