CHIROPRACTIC CARE AND THE "6TH SENSE"

Dr. Eric Sense • August 3, 2023

So we are all familiar with the 5 senses of the body. Sight, smell, sound, taste, and touch are the primary senses that allow us to navigate throughout our environment, and we are very much aware if any of these crucial functions are compromised.

But there is a "6th sense" that is equally important, and the term I use for that is PROPRIOCEPTION. Proprioception (also called Kinesthesia) is the sense of self-movement, force, and body position. Think of being able to stand up, close your eyes, being able to keep your balance while touching your fingers to your nose. (No! We're not talking about a sobriety test!) If need be, you can walk with your eyes closed, (although I don't recommend it) while keeping your balance and adapting to the variations of the terrain beneath our feet.

This is all due to the function of our nervous system. We have thousands and thousands of these nerve endings throughout our muscles, tendons and joints, call MECHANORECEPTORS. I call them little antenna. They are constantly sending messages to our brain regarding our body's movement and positioning and our brain responds with a message to our muscles to adapt appropriately to the load and demands required for that immediate task.

Think of the skilled athletic events that we can watch on television. A gymnast on a balance beam, a diver off a 10 meter platform, or an NFL receiver making an acrobatic catch. All of these require highly tuned proprioceptive function.

But what about everyday life. Getting in and out of your car, stepping off the curb during a walk, or bending over to pick up your child or grandchild. That proprioception allows us to perform those tasks without much of a thought.

However, this basic process can be compromised if our nervous system is not functioning properly. Misalignments in our spine can put an abnormal stress or pressure on our nervous system, interfering with those millions of messages constantly going back and forth between our body and our brain. This can be disruptive to basic functions such as walking, bending forward to pick things up, turning around, and so on. In turn, it can limit what we choose and need to do. It may also put a person at risk of falling, with sometimes catastrophic results. As I often say, misalignments, or SUBLUXATIONS, as we refer to them, can make our world smaller.

This is why it is important to have your spine checked on a regular basis. Subluxations are not always necessarily painful, but they certainly can affect various functions of your body. So whether you're a professional athlete or just getting up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, we all depend on this "6th SENSE" to get us through our daily tasks. And keeping your spine subluxation free is one of the most important things that you can do to preserve your health.

If you would like to know more about moving and healing for optimal living call Dr Eric Sense at Villa Park Chiropractic today at 714-998-2296

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Holistic Chiropractic Wellness: What is it, and why is it good for you?

By Eric Sense DC • October 25, 2024

I always find it interesting that, for the most part, people really don't understand what chiropractic is and how it can benefit them. Most understand the relationship that it may have with a persons back and neck, but quite often that's the extent of their impression. So let's look at this subject a little closer so that we can shed a little more light on it. Most of us realize that our brains run the show. Not only does this magnificent computer in side our skulls give us conscious thought, it also runs and regulates all of our body's functions. And I mean everything! This includes digestion, temperature control, movement, balance, heart rate, sexual function and reproduction, and so on. Everything that makes our body function comes back and is tied to our nervous system, which for the most part is then controlled by the brain. Every moment there are thousands of messages traveling to and from the body and brain, allowing for all this regulation to occur, almost all without our conscious awareness. This marvelous system is then protected by our skull and our spine. There are 24 bones (vertebra) throughout our spine that give us physical structure and support but also house the delicate spinal cord. It these bones shift out of place or don't move properly, it can have a negative influence on the overall function of this system. An individual might not even be experiencing any pain to have this interference occurring. Chiropractors identify this interference as a SUBLUXATION. These subluxations can occur due to various causation, Auto accidents and sports injuries would be two of the more obvious causes. But what is becoming so prominent is the influence that our technical world is having on our bodies. Sitting at a computer all day or staring at our phone for hours shifts the normal human posture out of it's normal alignment. This alteration then will have a negative influence (mechanical stress) which then alters the multitude of messages traveling along this system. This would explain why a victim of an auto accident not only suffers from neck and back pain but may also experience dizziness, numbness or weakness in arms or legs, and alteration of their digestive system. It also sheds light on why an individual sitting at a computer all day start to develop headaches, fatigue or soreness in the shoulders, or alteration of sensation in their hands or arms after working for hours. Doctors of chiropractic are educated and skilled in identifying and locating these subluxations. This is typically done through taking a thorough history and performing an examination which often will include X-ray analysis. The conclusion of this information is then addressed and a plan of action is established. It's not uncommon that my patients, surprised upon seeing what their X-rays revealed, will ask "how come nobody has ever shown me this before!". The care plan will typically involve ADJUSTMENTS to the spine to restore the normal positioning and movement of the vertebrae. This can be performed with many different types of techniques, some which include just a very light tapping on the spine. Exercises, stretches, and ergonomic strategies should also be addressed. Holistic care is basically keeping the body aligned and functioning at it's highest level. Remember, it's not just about neck and back pain!