Chiro As Self Care

Chances are, you’ve probably heard the term ‘self-care’ quite a bit lately. It’s been popping up all over the place, and with good reason: it’s an important reminder to all of us about the importance of taking care of ourselves. Read on as a local Burnsville, MN chiropractor offers some insight into how chiropractic treatments can help fill out a self-care routine.

What Is Self-Care?

The name in this case is pretty self-explanatory. To go with the official WHO definition, then self-care would be “The ability of individuals, families and communities to promote health, prevent disease, maintain health, and cope with illness and disability with or without the support of a health-care provider.” ¹    

To put it in the simplest terms possible, it means taking care of yourself. That really should be an ongoing and major goal for all of us! After all, we only get one body.

Self-care can take many different forms. Generally, making good lifestyle choices is the main goal. That may encompass many different things, though. Some examples of things people would do to improve their self-care would include stopping smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, using medication responsibly, visiting a primary care doctor, staying active, taking some quiet time, or going for a hike. 

Self-care looks different for everyone. For one person, hiking a mountain really grounds them. For another, it may be retail therapy. The main thing is to just take time to focus on yourself and doing the things that bring you happiness and comfort. 

Why Is Self-Care Important?

Self-care really affects every aspect of our lives, and comes into play during every minute of the day, when you think about it. The goal of self-care is to be as healthy and happy as possible. After all, if you’re unhealthy and/or unhappy, it will affect nearly everything you do in one way or another, and will definitely impact your overall quality of life. 

Let’s look at some of the biggest benefits of proper self-care:

• Better Mental Health: Proper self-care can help people ward off, reduce, or overcome things like stress, anxiety, and depression. It can also help boost confidence and self-esteem and help people find better coping strategies for the things they cannot control.
• Better Physical Health: There are far too many examples and details on this one to explore here, so we’ll just sum it up. Good self-care often also indicates that a person is getting enough sleep, eating nourishing meals, and staying active. These things are all key components of a healthy lifestyle, and will benefit every body and organ in your system.
• More Energy: One thing many people notice when they start really focusing on self-care? They have more energy. Rather than dragging through their days, they are alert and aware.
• Stronger Immunity: Poor diets, lack of exercise, stress, and bad habits can definitely weaken your immune system. Good self-care can help boost your immune system, helping you ward off or avoid illness.
• Better Productivity: More energy, better sleep, less brain fog … it’s not really any surprise that these things can in turn lead to increased productivity. You may also find it easier to concentrate.
• Stronger Relationships: Self-care helps correct those emotional ups and downs we all go through. It may not completely eliminate all possible sources of stress and conflict, but it can give you tools to help you cope and address the issues … two things that can make a huge difference to your relationship.
• Fight Burnout: Burnout is real, and these days, many people are feeling it. Self-care can be a great tool when it comes to preventing those feelings of being drained, unfulfilled, or burned out.
• Spiritual growth: It can be quite easy to get caught up in the modern rat race of working long hours and struggling to stay afloat. Even just watching the news can be draining! Taking some downtime and focusing on yourself really gives you a chance to focus on what’s important.

Do Chiropractic And Massage Work Well Together?

Massage is also often considered self-care. Many people really appreciate the relaxation and release that comes with getting those knots out of our muscles. But did you know that massage is in many ways a great twin or partner to chiropractic care?

Both systems share similar goals: removing obstructions and blockages in the human body. In many ways, the two are different sides of the same coin. 

Chiro helps remove blockages or obstructions in the spine. Massage does the same thing, but focuses on the muscles, as well as the ligaments, tendons, and other soft tissues. Blockages to the muscular system can interfere with circulation, which will in turn interfere with cell function, resulting in less oxygenation. Increasing blood flow helps bring oxygen to the cells, and also allows metabolic waste to be eliminated. It also improves mobility and range of motion while reducing stress and relieving pain.

There are many types of massage, but the ones most commonly used in conjunction with chiropractic care are Swedish massage and deep tissue massage.

Should You Get A Massage Or Chiro First?

Many chiropractors recommend getting the massage first. This will help ensure that the muscles are loose, which makes them quite pliable. This helps quite a bit with the adjustments. However, some people prefer to have a chiro appointment first. Talk to your chiropractor, and ask their opinion on the matter.

How Do I Use Chiro As Self-Care?

Self-care ultimately involves mental, physical, and emotional well-being. It’s important to look at your regime through those lenses.

Here are a few tips:

• Plan to relax after your appointments: If you go for an adjustment in the middle of a busy day, you’ll still get many of the benefits. However, for a full self-care package, you’d really want to pamper yourself a bit after.
• Combine Your Appointment With Massage And/Or Acupuncture
• Drink Plenty Of Water
• Eat Something Nourishing
• Take A Relaxing Bath
• Clear Your Schedule

 Is Chiro Right For Everyone?

Chiropractic care is a bit different from massage and acupuncture in this aspect. It’s not necessarily something that people generally do simply to relax; it’s most often used to correct an issue. You may be surprised at how many conditions a chiro can help with.

These include the following:

• Headaches
• Neck Pain
• Low Back Pain
• Sciatica
• Arthritis
• Scoliosis
• Sports Injury
• Disc Injury
• Posture
• Range Of Motion
• Fibromyalgia
• Osteoarthritis
• Shoulder Problem
• Whiplash
• Chiropractor Adjustment
• Immune Function
• Joints
• Muscle Pain
• Anxiety
• High Blood Pressure
• Infertility
• Vertigo

If you are suffering from one or more of these issues, you may very well benefit from chiropractic treatments. 

Of course, these are not one-size-fits-all. It’s important to get a thorough assessment. Talk to both your primary care provider and your chiropractor, and get a personalized care regimen. 

Does Insurance Cover Chiropractic Care?

The answer to that is going to depend both on the insurer and the issue being treated. However, many patients do find that their care is covered. It may be worth looking into. 

Make An Appointment With A Burnsville, MN Chiropractor

Do you have questions about chiropractic care? Please feel free to contact us, your Burnsville, MN chiropractic care center, anytime! We are here to help!