By Tim Langley, D.C.

“The problem with chiropractors is that they want you to come for the rest of your life.”

Have you ever wondered why Chiropractors want their patients to receive lifetime care? Most folks that do go to chiropractors don’t understand why. And unfortunately, most chiropractors don’t explain why to their patients, current and prospective. If they did, you’d hear a totally different perspective from the consuming public about going to the chiropractor.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the chiropractic profession has done a good job of creating awareness of Chiropractic as an effective remedy for back pain, neck pain, cricks, aches and strains. And while it is very effective at dealing with those problems, its real value is barely recognized.

Many people think of chiropractors as “back doctors.” The truth is that the “back” or spine is merely the vehicle for what the chiropractor really does.

You see, chiropractors actually deal with the nervous system – the master control system for the entire body. In fact, it is the first system to develop in the body when a woman gets pregnant. That means that every other system in your body derives from your Central Nervous System or brain and spinal cord.

The Central Nervous System is so important, that it is the only system in the entire body that is completely protected by hard bone, i.e., the skull and spinal column. So it only makes sense that any damage or stress on the CNS is not a good thing.

Now, pressure on the nerves coming out of the spine and going to different parts of the body directly affects how certain parts of your body work. If those nerves control muscles and other “voluntary” functions are “pinched” they can cause pain. But, that’s only about 10 percent of the nerves in the body that do cause pain. Everything else the nerves do is about how your body functions. And, how your body functions affects the quality of your life.

The greatest effect that a misaligned bone in the spine can have is to put stress on your Central Nervous System, specifically your brain stem. The brain stem affects your Autonomic Nervous System, specifically your Parasympathetic Nervous System which lets you sleep restfully, digest your meals more easily and controls how your senses perceive the world outside. And, how you perceive the world around you determines how you respond to things that happen to you and around you each and every day. Likewise, how you respond to the world around you determines how the world responds back. All of this also affects your body chemistry, thought patterns, and literally every aspect of your life.

Getting checked by your chiropractor on a regular basis and receiving adjustments, when needed, makes you more likely to stay healthier, happier and more effective at every aspect of your life. When you do that over a lifetime, people tend to see the world as a much more hospitable and supportive place.

Now, not every chiropractor has this same mindset. Sadly, many are trained only in the neuromusculoskeletal benefits of our profession. Yet, even folks that go to that kind of chiropractor realize the seemingly unrelated positive “life” benefits of chiropractic care. That’s because even an unwitting and unbelieving chiropractor that adjusts his or her patients takes stress off the nervous system. As the old saying goes, “even a blind squirrel stumbles across a nut every now and then.”

So, how do you find a chiropractor that will make it simple to get checked on a regular basis for the rest of your life without causing you to go broke? Actually, there are a few ways. Chiropractors that promote “family” care are typically set up to care for your entire family from “cradle to grave.” They usually have family or wellness cash plans to help you fit regular chiropractic checkups in as a part of your lifestyle. And, chiropractic membership practices are built specifically to offer affordable regular lifetime care for your entire family.

However you choose to do it, getting regular chiropractic care can enhance the quality of your life, and that of your family, friends and people all over the world. Imagine a world where everyone functioned at a higher level and saw the world as good and supportive. What a wonderful change that would be.