What Lifestyle Changes Can Support Your Chiropractic Treatment Results?

We love seeing the look of relief on your face when you walk out of Hess Spinal and Medical Center. That immediate release of tension and the return of mobility is why we do what we do. It is a great feeling to have your spine aligned and your nervous system functioning clearly.

However, we also know the reality of what happens when you leave our office. You go back to your job, your commute, your chores, and your stress. The world is full of physical and emotional stressors that want to pull your spine right back into its old and painful patterns.

Chiropractic care is a partnership. We can do the heavy lifting in the office to correct subluxations and restore proper motion. However, your daily habits determine if those adjustments hold or if your body regresses before your next visit.  Here is how you can support your chiropractic treatment results from home.

(1) Hydration Is Medicine for Your Spine

You have likely heard us mention water intake during your appointments. Hydration is arguably the single most critical factor in spinal health.

Your spine is made of vertebrae and discs. The intervertebral discs act as shock absorbers. They prevent your bones from rubbing together and allow your spine to move freely. These discs are composed largely of water. In fact, intervertebral discs are almost 80% water when they are healthy.

Throughout the day, gravity compresses your spine. This squeezes water out of the discs. It is a natural process. However, you must replenish that fluid. 

If you are chronically dehydrated, your discs cannot plump back up. They become brittle and thin. This leads to less cushioning for your nerves and makes it much harder for your body to hold a chiropractic adjustment.

Tips for Spinal Hydration:

• Drink half your body weight in ounces. If you weigh 160 pounds, then you should aim for 80 ounces of water daily.

• Start early. Drink a large glass of water immediately upon waking to rehydrate after sleep.

• Limit diuretics. Coffee and soda can encourage fluid loss. For every cup of coffee you drink, try to drink an extra cup of glass of water to balance it out.

• Eat your water. Foods like watermelon, cucumbers, and celery have high water content and can help you reach your goals.

(2) The Working Conditions of Modern Life

We see more "tech neck" and posture-related issues now than ever before. Technology has improved our lives in many ways, yet it has been terrible for our spines. Most of us spend our days hunched over computers or looking down at smartphones.

This forward head posture is a major problem. For every inch your head moves forward from your shoulders, the weight of your head on your neck doubles. This puts immense strain on the cervical spine and the muscles of the upper back. It pulls your vertebrae out of alignment and creates the tension headaches many of you experience.

You cannot always avoid using a computer or a phone. However, you can change how you use them to stop undoing the work we do in the clinic.

(i) Improving Your Workstation:

• Lift up your screen. Your monitor should be at eye level. You should not have to look down to see your work. Stack books under your monitor if you need to raise it.

• Check your chair. Your feet need to be flat on the floor with your knees at a 90° angle. If your feet dangle, then it pulls on your lower back.

• Shoulders back. Conscious effort is required here. Roll your shoulders back and down. Do not let them creep up toward your ears while you type.

(ii) Mobile Device Habits:

• Lift the phone. Bring your phone up to your face instead of dropping your chin to your chest.

• Use voice to text. This reduces the amount of time you spend looking down at the keyboard.

• Take breaks. Set a timer for every thirty minutes. Put the phone down and stretch your neck.

(3) Motion Is Lotion for Your Joints

When you are in pain, the natural instinct is to lie in bed and not move. While rest is sometimes necessary for acute injuries, prolonged inactivity is usually the enemy of healing. 

Your joints have no direct blood supply. They get their nutrients through motion. Movement circulates synovial fluid, which lubricates the joints and flushes out waste products.

A sedentary lifestyle causes your muscles to weaken and your joints to stiffen. This tightness creates a tug-of-war on your spine. Strong and flexible muscles act as a natural brace for your back. They hold your vertebrae in the correct position.

We want you to focus on low-impact movement. In fact, high-impact exercise can sometimes be detrimental immediately after an adjustment if your body is not ready for it. We want gentle and consistent motion.

Beneficial Movements:

• Walking. This is the best thing you can do for your back. It engages the core muscles and keeps the hips mobile without putting too much stress on the body.

• Cat-cow stretch. This yoga pose is excellent for moving the spine through its full range of motion.

• Hamstring stretches. Tight hamstrings pull on the pelvis and cause lower back pain. Keeping them loose relieves pressure on the lumbar spine.

• Core activation. Simple exercises like planks help build the abdominal muscles that support the front of your spine.

(4) Sleep Position Matters

You spend roughly one-third of your life asleep. If you are sleeping in a twisted or unsupported position, you are doing damage to your body for 8 hours every single night.

We often have patients who leave the office feeling great but wake up the next morning in pain. This is almost always due to sleep mechanics. Your body does its deepest healing while you sleep. You need to provide a neutral environment for that healing to happen.

Stomach sleeping is generally the worst position for chiropractic patients. It forces you to turn your head to the side to breathe. This twists the cervical spine and strains the neck muscles all night. It also causes the lower back to sway, which jams the lumbar joints together.

How to Sleep for Spinal Health:

• Back sleepers. This is often the best position for the spine. Place a small pillow under your knees. This helps maintain the natural curve of your lower back and relieves tension.

• Side sleepers. If you sleep on your side, then you must put a pillow between your knees. Without it, your top leg slides forward and twists your pelvis. This spinal twist creates significant lower back torque. The pillow keeps your hips stacked and aligned.

• Pillow height. Your pillow should keep your neck neutral. If it is too thick, then your head is propped up too high. If it is too thin, then your head drops back. You want your nose to align with the center of your chest.

(5) Nutrition and Inflammation

Pain is often a result of inflammation. When you have a misalignment, the tissue around it becomes inflamed. This is your body trying to protect itself. However, chronic inflammation makes you more sensitive to pain and slows down the healing process.

Your diet plays a massive role in your inflammation levels. The standard American diet is full of inflammatory triggers. Sugar, processed foods, and unhealthy fats act like fuel for the fire of inflammation.

When you are under chiropractic care, you want to give your body the building blocks it needs to repair tissue. You want to eat foods that cool down inflammation rather than heat it up.

Foods to Prioritize:

• Omega-3 fatty acids: Found in fatty fish like salmon and sardines, omega-3s help reduce inflammation and support heart and brain health.

• Leafy greens: Spinach, kale, and similar greens are rich in fiber and antioxidants that support digestion and overall wellness.

• Lean protein: Foods like chicken breast, eggs, tofu, and legumes help maintain muscle, support repair, and keep you full longer.

• Berries: Blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries provide antioxidants and natural sweetness while supporting immune and cellular health.

(6) Manage Stress Levels

It is easy to overlook the mental component of back pain. However, the mind and body are connected. When you are stressed, your body produces cortisol. This stress hormone causes your muscles to tighten up.

Most people carry their stress physically. You might notice that when you are anxious, your shoulders rise up toward your ears or your jaw clenches. This chronic muscle tension pulls on your skeletal structure. It creates a constant resistance against the adjustments we provide.

We know we cannot eliminate all stress from your life. However, managing it is a key part of your treatment plan. If your muscles are constantly tight from stress, they will pull your vertebrae right back out of place the moment you leave our office.

Simple Stress Reduction Techniques:

• Deep breathing. Taking deep belly breaths activates the parasympathetic nervous system. This tells your brain that you are safe and allows your muscles to relax.

• Epsom salt baths. The magnesium in the salt absorbs through the skin to relax muscles. The warm water increases circulation to heal tissues.

• Mindfulness. Taking 5 minutes a day to sit quietly can lower cortisol levels significantly.

(7) Consistency Is The Key

The final and perhaps most important change is your mindset regarding the treatment plan itself.

Chiropractic care is cumulative. Each visit builds on the last one. We are retraining your body. Your spine has likely been misaligned for years. It has developed muscle memory that accepts that bad posture as normal. 

We are working to break that habit and instill a new and healthy alignment. If you miss appointments or wait until you are in severe pain to come back, we are constantly starting over from square one. 

The patients who stick to the recommended schedule are the ones who see lasting results. They move from pain relief care to corrective care and eventually to wellness care.

If you are overdue for an adjustment or want to discuss a customized plan to support your lifestyle, contact Hess Spinal and Medical Center today. 

Disclaimer: This article is for general informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice or establish a provider-patient relationship. For personalized physical or medical assessments and treatment, please contact Hess Spinal and Medical Center.