Top 5 Signs that You Should See a Chiropractor

Our bodies may try to communicate with us by sending us signals, but we don't always speak the same language. Here are my top 5 signs that our bodies are trying to say "go see your chiropractor".

1. Your body used to hurt and be sore for very specific reasons. Now it seems to hurt for absolutely no reason. People rarely see me for pain and soreness from a home project or overdoing it at the gym. This is because they can connect cause and effect. When the pain is more random, or without any significant change in activity level, it is a cry for help.

2. You are pretty certain that your hip pain and foot pain are related, but your MD says that it's just from arthritis. The same could happen with neck and arm pain. The body is likely trying to tell you that there is an underlying biomechanical dysfunction related to both of them. In truth, many people have arthritis without any pain, so why are you different? Looking beyond the point of pain is necessary to find the point of dysfunction.

3. Sitting for long periods gives you low back pain. "Sitting is the new smoking" is a popular phrase nowadays. However, it is unlikely that our cultural norms will be changing anytime soon. Many of us will still be expected to sit at a computer for our jobs, sit and drive, sit and eat, etc. So, let's train for it. Why not train yourself, much like athletes do, to better prepare you for the physical demands of daily life? Core exercises are a must for anyone who sits for their occupation. They will get you into a better posture, and prevent further pain.

4. Your neck pain has now become headaches or migraines. Chronic misalignments of the top 2 vertebrae are often the cause of headaches, including migraines. In such cases, posture is usually to blame, and core exercises are again necessary.

5. You've tried everything else. This is where a good history and assessment of biomechanics (how you move) is essential. To treat pain without properly assessing why it is hurting ultimately fails. Too many doctors want to only examine the point of pain. But as I have said previously, the point of dysfunction may be different from the point of pain. Sitting, sleeping, and workstation postures need to be investigated for habits that contribute to your pain.