Make America Healthy Again: The Vital Role of Chiropractic
Jarek Esarco
I wanted to share policy recommendations from the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation about Chiropractic’s role in making America healthy again:
Here are ten ways in which chiropractic care can enhance American health and play a crucial role in comprehensive healthcare reform.
Policy Recommendations from the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation
1. Reducing Dependency on Opioids and Other Medications
America faces an ongoing opioid crisis, with millions struggling with addiction often rooted in chronic pain management. Chiropractic care offers a non-invasive, drug-free approach to alleviating pain and can serve as a frontline solution for chronic pain patients. Increasing access to chiropractic care could significantly reduce reliance on opioids, providing a sustainable, safer alternative for pain relief. Expanding chiropractic care as a primary option for pain management would not only support public health efforts but also mitigate the economic and societal costs associated with opioid addiction.
2. Chiropractic Care for Comprehensive Health and Wellness
Chiropractic care is not limited to pain relief; it addresses broader health and wellness goals. By targeting spinal misalignments that interfere with the nervous system, chiropractic care helps the body’s systems function optimally, impacting everything from digestion to immune function. This holistic approach contributes to overall wellness, helping to reduce both physical and mental ailments, allowing Americans to live healthier, more resilient lives.
3. Supporting Nervous System Function
The nervous system is the control center of the body, coordinating every function from movement to organ health. Chiropractic adjustments remove subluxations—spinal obstructions that hinder nervous system function—facilitating better communication between the brain and body. By optimizing nervous system health, chiropractic care fosters whole-body wellness that extends far beyond symptom management, paving the way for improved mental, physical, and emotional health.
4. Boosting Immune Function
A robust immune system is critical to combating illnesses and maintaining health, especially in times of widespread public health challenges. Research suggests chiropractic adjustments can positively impact immune function by promoting nervous system health. By ensuring the nervous system operates smoothly, chiropractic care helps the body become more resilient, supporting public health efforts to prevent the spread of illness and strengthen the immune response within communities.
5. Reducing Mental Stress
Chiropractic care alleviates tension in the spine and nervous system, significantly reducing physical discomfort and mental stress. By relieving these physical strains, chiropractic treatments improve mental clarity and emotional balance. As stress remains a pervasive issue for Americans, increasing access to chiropractic care can provide a natural, non-pharmaceutical path to reducing stress levels, ultimately contributing to improved mental health outcomes nationwide.
6. Enhancing Sleep and Quality of Life
Sleep is essential for recovery, mental clarity, and immune function. Many patients report improved sleep patterns with regular chiropractic care, as adjustments help reduce tension and discomfort that disrupt rest. By promoting better sleep, chiropractic care indirectly enhances energy, vitality, and well-being, supporting a more productive and healthier population.
7. Addressing Chronic Lifestyle-Related Diseases
Modern lifestyles contribute to a range of chronic conditions, from obesity to diabetes. Chiropractic care plays a valuable role in managing these lifestyle-related diseases by improving nervous system function, which in turn can boost metabolism, reduce inflammation, and improve mobility. As a preventative measure, chiropractic care offers a way to manage and even prevent these chronic conditions, supporting a healthier population while reducing healthcare costs associated with these diseases.
8. Providing a Cost-Effective Healthcare Solution
Chiropractic care is a preventive healthcare measure that can lead to long-term savings by reducing the need for costly interventions, such as surgeries and long-term medication use. By supporting health and wellness early on, chiropractic care lessens the financial burden on individuals and the healthcare system as a whole. Integrating chiropractic care into public health initiatives could alleviate some of the economic strain on the healthcare system, making it a wise investment for a healthier America.
9. Chiropractic Care in the Military
The U.S. military has recognized the value of chiropractic care for service members, who often face unique physical and mental stresses. However, access remains limited, and more can be done to expand chiropractic services for active-duty personnel, veterans, and their families. Chiropractic care provides these individuals with a non-invasive, holistic approach to manage pain, recover from physical stress, and improve overall wellness, reducing dependency on pharmaceuticals and enhancing quality of life.
10. Expanding Chiropractic Access in Medicare
Medicare limits chiropractic care to a narrow scope, restricting access for the elderly population that stands to benefit most. Many seniors suffer from chronic pain, mobility issues, and lifestyle-related health conditions that could be managed effectively through chiropractic care. However, Medicare’s restrictions prevent chiropractors from offering a full range of services that could significantly improve seniors' health and quality of life. Expanding Medicare to provide comprehensive chiropractic care would help seniors remain active, healthy, and independent while reducing the need for more costly interventions.
A Path Forward for Healthier Americans
Incorporating chiropractic care into America’s healthcare strategy offers a preventive, whole-body approach that supports individual and public health, reduces medication dependency, and improves quality of life. Expanding access through military, Medicare, and public health programs can bring Americans closer to a cost-effective, sustainable model for lasting wellness.
Let’s work together to make chiropractic an integral part of America’s healthcare solution. For more information on our research, initiatives, or to support our mission, visit our website and connect with us on social media.