Detox Symptoms After Chiropractic Adjustments
After a chiropractic adjustment, you may expect to feel instantly better, and this can be true. Many people notice the effects of being in better alignment right away and can move better as soon as they get off the table. But what you might not know is that chiropractic adjustments can also have a detox-life effect as your body begins to release toxins and function properly. Understanding what symptoms are common in this period and what could be cause for concern is important to help you monitor your health and determine how well chiropractic care is working for your body.
Toxic Release
The first thing to understand is what exactly toxins are and how they leave the body.
Toxins are harmful substances that can be found all around us. In high concentrations, these substances can cause our bodies to get sick. A good example is pollutants in the air, such as pesticides, flame retardants, or polychlorinated biphenyls. We are exposed to these things constantly in traffic, food, or even through the use of perfumes and candles.
Our bodies are built to manage some level of toxins that could damage our health and secrete or recycle most of these chemicals. Metabolic waste is constantly being produced and recycled, and our organs have complex systems in place to manage these.
Any way that these toxins are released from the body is known as detoxing. This process can sometimes be obstructed by misalignments in the body, which can cause buildup around the joints and spine. A chiropractic adjustment will realign the spine and can cause these bubbles to burst in the process, releasing the toxins back into the bloodstream and triggering an immune response.
Symptoms of Toxic Release
In the event of toxic release, the most common symptoms are related to the nervous system, as spinal adjustments focus on the nerves near the spine. When this blockage is cleared, an overwhelming flow of energy can run through the body, causing symptoms that may require an adjustment period.
Common symptoms of toxic release include:
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Fever
- Dizziness
- Night sweats
- Tightness in muscles
- Digestive problems
Some people believe that the popping and cracking sounds you hear during an adjustment are signals that these toxins are being released. However, these noises are actually just tiny air pockets in your joints releasing nitrogen oxide in reaction to the manipulation. These sounds are a good sign in regards to your adjustment but are not actually indicative of whether you will experience toxic release.
Not every person who gets a chiropractic adjustment will experience toxic release. It’s most common in people receiving their first-ever adjustment or their first adjustment after a long period of time. These people can have a large buildup of toxins, causing a more intense reaction in the body.
These symptoms are temporary, and while they can be unpleasant, they are a sign of the body entering a healing state and allowing for the adjustment to positively influence the body. Symptoms subside quickly and usually do not worsen over the course of treatment.
What Should I Do If I Have Detox Symptoms?
If you are experiencing symptoms of toxic release, the most important thing to know is that this is normal and not to stop chiropractic adjustments in response. The more adjustments you have, the fewer of these symptoms you will experience over time. The body’s built-in detoxification symptoms will eventually release these toxins from the bloodstream.
Symptoms are generally mild and bearable, but if your symptoms persist or seem to be intense, you should talk to your chiropractor about how to improve the after-effects of your adjustments.
Remember that the body has ways to detox without the assistance of a chiropractic adjustment, so nothing unnatural is happening to your body in this period. An adjustment is simply allowing the body to continue these natural processes without the obstruction caused by misalignments. The toxins won’t enter your bloodstream in any way that causes harm.
Overall, the benefits of chiropractic adjustments far outweigh the slight discomfort from toxic release. Over time, the treatments will help reduce stress and fatigue in the body, realign the nerves and joints, alleviate pain, discomfort, and fatigue, and manage toxins.