Natural Depression Treatment
Depression is the most common mental disorder in the United States. Estimated to affect more than 40 million American adults, depression can significantly impair an individual’s day to day life.
Signs and Symptoms of Depression
The symptoms of depression can vary significantly, often manifesting in an altered physical condition or a change in behaviors, feelings, and thoughts. To give you a better idea of how depression can manifest, we’ve listed some of the most common signs and symptoms of depression:
- Withdrawing from friends and family.
- Lacking motivation for former interests and/or social activities.
- Being unable to sleep.
- Being unable to maintain a regular appetite.
- Feeling tired or sick all the time.
- Having difficulty concentrating, socializing, or leaving the house.
- Experiencing protracted feelings of frustration, sadness, guilt, and disappointment.
- Repeated intrusion of negative thoughts (i.e. “It’s all my fault” or “People would be better off without me”).
While these symptoms are common, it’s important to remember that many people with depression do not exhibit obvious symptoms of the condition.
How the Upper Cervical Spine Affects Depression
As a mental disorder, depression can have many different causes, from genetic risk factors to severe life stressors. One of the more overlooked causes of depression is disrupted function in the reflex centers of the autonomic nervous system, a major neural pathway that is often activated by long-term physical stress. As most of the body’s reflex centers are located in the spinal cord and brainstem, the autonomic nervous system is particularly susceptible to long-term inflammation and tension in the upper cervical spine.
As misalignments in the upper cervical spine are a common cause for inflammation and tension, the chiropractic correction of these abnormalities may restore normal function to the autonomic nervous system, alleviating or potentially even eliminating the symptoms of depression.
However, before you rush to book a chiropractic treatment plan, we want to emphasize that depression is a complex condition and alternative forms of treatment often work best when used in conjunction with the advice and treatment offered by health professionals and talk therapy support services.
How Our Upper Cervical Treatment for Depression Works
For patients with depression, our treatment plan utilizes upper cervical adjustments to both alleviate spinal inflammation and remove cerebrospinal fluid blockages in and around the brainstem. However, before we can begin adjusting the upper cervical spine, we must first determine whether a prospective patient actually has a misalignment in their upper cervical spine.
To identify any misalignments, we will conduct a range of objective tests upon the upper spine and neck. Depending on the results of these tests, we may also perform a non-invasive Cone Beam CT (CBCT) scan along the upper cervical spine. If you are suffering from a misalignment, a CBCT scan will allow our chiropractors to assess the exact angle and orientation of the misaligned vertebra.
Once this information is collected and assessed, we will be able to begin correcting the misalignment in your upper cervical spine. If you’re worried about pain or discomfort, don’t be! We are trained to use precise, painless adjustments when manipulating the spine — this means you’ll never have to worry about your chiropractor cracking, pulling, or twisting your spine and neck.
We offer treatment and consultation for depression in the Las Vegas and Clark County area. Mindful of the high prevalence of depression across the United States, we’ve also expanded our services to neighboring states, including Arizona, Utah, and California.