Occasionally we will see a patient who has tried everything they can think of to get rid of certain aches and pains. NSAIDS only last so long, and can also cause destruction of the liver and GI tract. Through Chiropractic, we seek to eliminate certain inflammatory markers that can be found around the spinal cord, peripheral nerves and joint space.
It is important to note that there is a normal level of inflammation response in our body to certain triggers. To briefly describe this, our inflammatory loop begins with a protein called NFkB, which creates the heat and swelling we have all experienced at times. Most people associate this with a joint like an ankle or knee, but this is exactly what can happen in the spine, and even in the gut and brain! In response to the NFkB, our body releases inflammatory cytokines to create oxidative stress and dampen the pain/swelling response. The result of this is known as “free radical” creation, and in large/chronic amounts, can circulate and damage the tissue.
Our body bio formulates something called glutathione, which absorbs the free radicals, recycles through the methylation cycle, and continues absorbing the free radicals until eventually the inflammatory cycle ends.
In some individuals, their body is not producing an adequate amount of glutathione, allowing the free radicals to build up and wreak havoc on a joint. A buildup of free radicals can circulate and cause gut and brain barrier leakage, causing unwanted proteins to be able to now cross this barrier. This is further detrimental to our health because that leakage can lead to an attack from our own immune system directly to our gut and all other organs. This phenomenon is called autoimmunity.
From a supplemental standpoint, there are many that have anti-inflammatory properties, and there is 1 that actually drives bio-absorbable glutathione into the tissues. There are also tests we can run to see if your body is upregulating to a food that may be in your EVERY DAY DIET. Knowledge is power, and even if you choose to make just one of these key changes, it may be the one that helps you live the healthy and active life we all deserve.
Reach out to Dr. Wagoner at Wake Forest Chiropractic for a chance at a better life.