Of cause when you are suffering with low back pain, neck pain or tension headaches, it is completely understandable that you have one overriding goal – to stop the pain. However, once this short-term goal has bee accomplished, it is time to consider your long-term spinal health goals. In formulating your long-term goals, it is essential to understand that spinal health is about more than getting rid of pain. Spinal health has a long-term impact on every function affected by the spinal nerves, which influence every organ system in your body. Some biological functions that seem to benefit from improved spinal health include reaction time, balance and general wellbeing.

Breathing is another good example of a function most people do not associate with spinal health. In one case study, a 53-year old man with a 20-year history of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, was shown to have improved forced vital lung capacity measured 14 months after beginning chiropractic care (forced vital lung capacity is the amount of air that can be forcibly exhaled in one complete breath).

The long-term implications of the link between chiropractic care and lung volumes cannot be overemphasized. In most adults, even those without pulmonary disease, lung volumes do not improve over time. In fact, lung volumes generally decline with age. Lower than normal lung volumes are associated with shorter life spans. More specifically, depressed lung volumes have recently been linked to increased risk of stroke, heart attack, and other potentially life-shortening cardiovascular problems. Conversely, the better you lung volumes, the longer your lifespan is expected to be. Regular exercise is also essential in developing and maintaining good lung volumes.

You are the boss when it comes to deciding how long you wish to benefit from chiropractic care. In the short run, it would be great to relieve pain. Chiropractic care can be useful in helping most people achieve this short-term goal of spinal health. In the long run, it would be great to retain as much lung capacity, reaction time, balance, and general wellbeing as possible. Consider this when your chiropractor recommends regular follow-up visits.