Chiropractic Care Helps Your Immune System

The nervous system, the endocrine system, and the immune system are inextricably linked, like a three-legged stool. Numerous research studies have shown that Chiropractic care positively impacts immune system function. 

The idea that Chiropractic care can help the immune system work better is not a new one.  In fact, this concept has been supported by credible data for a century.  For example, Dr. Dan Murphy compiled some very interesting data regarding the use of chiropractic care during the Influenza Epidemic of 1918.  Click here for an excerpt.  According to the statistics presented, influenza patients who were under Chiropractic care rather than medical care during this epidemic had significantly higher survival rates. Some cite the success of Chiropractic treatment in this epidemic as the historical turning point that allowed Chiropractic care to survive as a profession.

In 1975, Ronald Pero, Ph.D., Chief of Cancer prevention research at New York's Preventive Medicine Institute and Professor in Environmental Health at New York University, began researching the most scientifically valid ways to estimate individual susceptibility to various chronic diseases. He has conducted a tremendous amount of research in this area as well as in the Chiropractic realm, that includes over 160 published reports in peer reviewed journals.

Pero's team measured 107 individuals who had received long-term Chiropractic care. The Chiropractic patients were shown to have a 200% greater immune competence than people who had not received Chiropractic care, and a 400% greater immune competence than people with cancer or serious diseases. Interestingly, Pero found no decline with the various age groups in the study demonstrating that the DNA repairing enzymes were just as present in long-term chiropractic senior groups as they were in the younger groups.

Pero concluded, 'Chiropractic may optimize whatever genetic abilities you have so that you can fully resist serious disease...I have never seen a group other than this show a 200% increase over normal patients.'

Let's not forget that the endocrine system is the third leg in the stool of neuro-endocrine immunology.  The endocrine system's main players are epinephrine (also known as adrenaline), nor-epinephrine, and cortisol.  These molecules are produced in the adrenal glands, endocrine glands which have direct connections with the nervous system by way of a division called the sympathetic nervous system. Cortisol in particular is a stress hormone that inhibits the immune system This is why being stressed out all the time can cause you to get sick!  If the sympathetic nervous system is too "turned on" due to stress and subluxation, it can increase the adrenal glands synthesis of cortisol, in turn affecting the immune system.  Subluxation, or misalignments of the spine that put pressure on the nervous system, promotes this exact situation.  Chiropractic care is the only way to detect and eliminate these misalignments.  If you or someone you know always seems to be sick, subluxation could be at the root of the problem - and the only way to find out, is to have your spine checked by a Chiropractor!