– Hi, I’m Dr. Christy Flick.
– And I’m Dr. Jennifer Taylor.
– And we’re with HealthWorks: Family Wellness Center in Plano, Texas. So right now, during COVID-19, we’re receiving a really sobering lesson about how a pandemic like this particular virus can really affect people with underlying conditions, and preventative health care has never been more important than right now.
– Yeah, the Centers for Disease Control is clear that people with pre-existing conditions like heart disease, diabetes, lung disease, mental conditions like depression and anxiety are significantly at a higher risk for having complications with this disease.
– Absolutely, and so, when the body comes in contact with the virus, the infection causes a fever to happen, which puts even more of a metabolic load on your body. It stresses your body out more, and it asks your body for more resources.
– Now, in a clinical setting, we see a consistent truth. Inflammation is the basis of all disease processes, isn’t it?
– It is, in fact, the severity of the disease depends on the efficiency of both the immune system and how much inflammation is already in the body. That inflammation causes something called dysregulation. Your body has trouble working the way that it’s designed to, and what we’ve seen over time, both in our clinical practice and what the research shows is that chiropractic helps the body to work better, so it helps with that dysregulation, and it helps to reduce inflammation for a more normal function in the body.
– So we’ve talked about several risk factors, whether heart disease, diabetes, but let’s just take on depression and anxiety, and we’re all just trapped in our homes right now.
– So much anxiety and depression right now.
– Yeah, and that brings a huge risk factor for diseases, and what does that do? It increases inflammation, doesn’t it?
– It increases inflammation, and so, right now, people are very focused on their health, but would you agree that it’s better if you have prevention all year long than just trying to focus on it when you have a pandemic staring you in the face?
– A crisis.
– A crisis, yes. It’s better to focus on your health and get rid of those underlying conditions way before the fact.
– You see, a study that was just published in February of 2020, so just published, actually studied a group of 633 people with low back pain for one year, so this is actually a pretty big study here, and they found that low back pain was associated with dramatization and anxiety.
– Yeah, absolutely, and so, we know that chiropractic benefits us in the short run, but it’s unfortunate that it’s taken something so big like a pandemic to remind us that it’s important to start on prevention way before the fact. I mean, right now, we have everyone.
– Everybody.
– Stockpiling on toilet paper, toilet paper, people.
– It’s not even associated with the disorders of the gastrointestinal tract.
– No, no, so we can see that the dramatization and the thought processes are really taking ahold of people. People are scared, and so, we just want to remind you that prevention is something that happens long before the fact of a big issue, and one of the best places that you can find out about prevention and health maintenance is at your local wellness chiropractor.
HealthWorks: A Family Wellness Center is a chiropractic and wellness center located in Plano, Texas. Our chiropractors, Dr. Christy Flick and Dr. Jennifer Taylor, have been helping patients function better since starting private practice in 2005. For information about this article or other chiropractic questions, please contact our office at 972-612-1800.
Frequently Asked Questions
What preventive care keeps spines healthy long-term?
Regular chiropractic check-ups catch misalignments before symptoms develop. Maintain good posture, exercise regularly, and manage stress levels. Proper nutrition and hydration support spinal disc health. Ergonomic workspaces prevent repetitive strain.
Our wellness care plans at HealthWorks focus on preventing problems, not just treating pain after it starts.
How often should I get adjusted if I’m not in pain?
Most wellness patients benefit from monthly adjustments to maintain alignment. Active individuals or those with stressful jobs may need biweekly care. Your specific schedule depends on lifestyle factors and spinal health history.
Dr. Taylor’s expertise helps determine your optimal maintenance schedule for lifelong spinal health.
Can chiropractic care prevent arthritis?
Regular adjustments maintain proper joint motion, reducing degenerative changes that lead to arthritis. Proper alignment prevents uneven wear on joint surfaces. Studies show chiropractic patients have less spinal degeneration long-term.
Starting preventive care now at HealthWorks protects your spine from future degenerative changes.