Vitamins And Minerals To Augment Chiropractic Care Treatments

Chiropractors believe that nutrition plays an important role in optimal health. Implementing nutritional interventions with traditional chiropractic treatments such as spinal manipulation and therapeutic massage may help enhance overall strength, decrease inflammation, promote better posture and balance, and relieve pain. Essential vitamins and minerals may complement chiropractic treatments that focus on both the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system, and because of this, your chiropractor may recommend incorporating the following nutritional supplements into your therapeutic plan of care.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is an essential B-complex nutrient that plays an important role in metabolism and nervous system function. Vitamin B12 helps enhance myelin, which is integral in nerve transmission impulses. Vitamin B12 deficiencies may result in myelin loss, numbness and tingling sensations in the extremities, balance problems, spinal pain, and weakness.

Foods that are rich in vitamin B12 include beef, chicken, fish, dairy products, and lamb, however, if you are severely deficient, your chiropractor may recommend supplemental vitamin B12. Injections of B12 may be more effective than B12 vitamin pills because it is better absorbed when administered directly into the bloodstream. Implementing vitamin B12 into chiropractic care may be especially beneficial for those suffering from injury-related nerve pain. 

Magnesium

A magnesium deficiency is a very common nutritional deficiency that may be linked to poor dietary habits, the use of certain medications such as diuretics and acid reflux medications, chronic alcoholism, diabetes, and certain disorders of the gastrointestinal tract. Magnesium deficiencies can raise your risk for back pain and muscle spasms that may affect proper spinal alignment.

Every cell in your body depends on magnesium for optimal functioning, including proper bone and muscle performance, and for energy. Magnesium also helps promote muscle relaxation and contractions. It may also help enhance your chiropractic treatments such as cervical spine manipulation, spinal mobilization, spinal decompression therapy, and gentle chiropractic therapies such as "high-velocity low-amplitude," or HVLA thrusts.

Before your chiropractic physician recommends supplementing your diet with magnesium supplements, they may ask you about medications and other dietary supplements you are currently taking because magnesium supplements can interact with other drugs or natural remedies. 

To learn more about how vitamins and minerals can complement your chiropractic treatment plan, make an appointment with your chiropractor. When your holistic plan of care incorporates both nutritional interventions and manipulation techniques, your mobility, range of motion, flexibility, and pain levels may improve quickly so that you can carry on with your activities of daily living symptom free.