Pain isn’t the first symptom that something is wrong – it’s the last.
Take a moment and think of your health as a trail of dominoes, each one representing a symptom of something amiss. Where do you think pain would be on that trail?
From our earliest age, we’re taught that pain is a sign that something is wrong. Our body is built for pain to immediately grab our attention — to obtain a visceral response and remedy the situation.
Think of your reaction if you accidentally touched a hot stove- you would instinctively pull your hand away without even thinking about it.
Pain can be all encompassing. It has created its own multi-billion dollar industry among drug companies, with myriad medications promising to get “rid of it.” Eliminate the pain, and you eliminate the problem. That’s what we’ve all been told, right?
Wrong.
Finding the Source of the Problem
Let’s go back to those dominoes. When you think about something unfortunately going awry with your health, most people will concentrate on what they see, or more importantly feel, to determine that it’s time to take action. So, understandably, they would put pain at the front of the domino trail. They assume that is the first sign that something is wrong – and that’s a pretty easy assumption to make.
It’s also incorrect.
The body is a magnificent machine; a technical wonder of biology. Its systems are designed to keep us running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Some of these systems are so minute, we barely give them a second thought. But we should, because this is where the problems can arise — in other words, the first domino.
The nerves within your spine act as one of these incredibly important systems, connecting to every organ, limb, and muscle inside of you. When subluxations (misalignments, excess stress) occur, these nerves are affected, and your body can’t perform at optimum levels. Of course, initially, you may not sense that anything is wrong. You feel fine! Or, perhaps, you have what you deem to be an unrelated symptom that you brush off.
For example, you have subluxations in your thoracic spine – your back feels “normal”, but suddenly you find yourself with constant heartburn. What would most people do? Take a few antacids and lay off the coffee for a few days, right? That will fix it.
But it doesn’t. The heartburn will return, and eventually, pain will develop in your mid-back, because the subluxations are worsening and affecting not only your spinal wellness, but your overall health, as well.
Masking Symptoms Doesn’t Solve Problems
We need to remember that tending to a symptom does not remedy your problem. You need to solve the problem at its source — your spine and nervous system.
This is why it’s so important to maintain your health with regular chiropractic adjustments. Your doctors are here to help your body perform to the very best of its ability. A properly aligned spine ensures that every system inside you can function at optimum levels, maintaining a stronger and healthier you.
Pain isn’t the first symptom that something is wrong – it’s the last. Keeping chiropractic as a part of your lifestyle will allow you to avoid the dreaded domino affect right from the get-go.