Sleep Disorders and Insomnia

How Your Spine May be Causing Your Sleep Disorder and Insomnia

Sleep disorders and insomnia include subluxation and inflammation along the upper cervical spine. In the chiropractic field, subluxation refers to a phenomenon in which one of the vertebrae in your spine moves out of position. When your vertebrae are dislocated, it can cause immense discomfort when you lie down. As the inflammation builds up, it leads to a disturbance between the neural pathways in the central nervous system and the neural pathways in the brainstem.

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If this inflammation is chronic, i.e., for an extended period, it can lead to hormonal imbalances. One of these hormones is the sleep hormone called melatonin, which is responsible for maintaining our body’s circadian rhythm. Our body’s circadian rhythm plays a significant role in the sleep-wake cycle. When melatonin levels are disturbed in the body, you may have trouble sleeping.

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How Upper Cervical Chiropractic Help to Manage Sleep Disorders and Insomnia

A dislocation of a vertebra along your upper cervical spine can often lead to inflammation which contributes to your sleep issues. Once we correct it, your body’s neural pathways are re-established again. This correction and rebalance of your neural pathways restore the body’s standard hormonal response mechanism. It also aids in balancing your sleep hormone levels, i.e., melatonin. This is why upper cervical chiropractic may be the right option to help alleviate or eliminate your symptoms of sleep disorder and insomnia.

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How Upper Cervical Chiropractic Works for Sleep Disorders & Insomnia

The association of sleep disorders with problems in atlas vertebrae is a significant cause of concern. If this vertebra is moved even by a millimeter, it can cause drastic effects on your health. Hence, it is essential to maintain your spinal health and contact a chiropractor if you have a history of head and neck trauma and are experiencing symptoms such as sleep disturbances, dizziness, and neck pain.

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The upper cervical chiropractic approach in treating sleep disorders and insomnia revolves around using precise chiropractic adjustments to alleviate neck pain and treat any subluxations or dislocations of the cervical vertebrae.

The first step to upper cervical chiropractic is to ascertain whether subluxation is the cause of insomnia. This can be determined by a series of radiological imaging such as X-rays, CT scans, etc. At LIV Chiropractic we perform a thermographic scan. This helps us detect any irritation along your spine. The irritation (or inflammation) tells us which vertebrae is out of alignment and contributing to your sleep issues.  

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The next step is to formulate a plan regarding the adjustments of the vertebrae. The chiropractor will decide how many millimeters to move the vertebrae and move about without damaging the underlying structures. These adjustments will lead to restoring the upper cervical to its natural position.

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Chiropractors are specially trained to make gentle and precise adjustments to maintain your spinal anatomy’s integrity. One of the significant differences between upper cervical chiropractic and traditional chiropractic adjustments is that there is no popping, twisting, and cracking of bones. This gentler approach helps ease anxiety and improve physical results.