How can we cope better with stress in our life?
Chiropractic is widely known for helping with pain, but recent research is also highlighting its benefits for managing stress.
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In today’s fast-paced world, it can feel impossible to eliminate stress entirely. That’s why at Chiropractic Balance, we focus on a more empowering question: How can we help our body's cope better with the stress we do have?
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Through gentle adjustments and personalised lifestyle strategies, we support your nervous system to build resilience—so you can navigate life with more ease, calm, and clarity.
"Whether you're after relief, resilience, or a reset–we’re here for it all."
– Dr Roz Griffiths
Understanding stress at Chiropractic Balance Porirua​​
When you're under stress, your muscles naturally tense up. It’s your body’s way of protecting itself. In short bursts, this tension fades once the stress passes. But with ongoing stress, muscles can stay tight for long periods, leading to discomfort and other health issues.
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Chronic tension—especially in the shoulders, neck, and back—can trigger headaches, migraines, and ongoing pain. Long-term muscle tension can also cause uneven pressure in your spine and joints, leading to imbalances known as subluxations. Chiropractic adjustments help relieve this tension, calm irritated nerves, and boost blood flow. These changes can signal your brain to switch off its fight-or-flight mode, helping your body relax and recover.
Can Chiropractic care help with stress?
A 2011 study found that after a chiropractic neck adjustment, patients showed changes in brain activity related to stress and pain, along with significantly lower cortisol levels—your body’s main stress hormone. Many also reported feeling less pain and enjoying a better quality of life after care (4).
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As our understanding of the nervous system grows, it’s becoming clear that chiropractic care offers more than just pain relief—it supports true wellness. At Chiropractic Balance in Porirua, we know stress affects more than just muscles and joints. It can impact breathing, posture, immunity, and overall wellbeing. That’s why we take a holistic, full-body approach.
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Our chiropractors may suggest supplements, movement exercises, massage, breathing tools, and posture support as part of your care. While we can’t remove stress completely, regular chiropractic care can help your body cope better and reduce the long-term effects stress can have.
Want to know more?
Watch the beginners guide to Chiropractic
The evidence behind our care
We base our approach on current clinical guidelines and peer-reviewed research to ensure you're getting the safest, most effective care possible.
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(1) New Zealander psychological association. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.apa.org/helpcenter/stress/effects-musculoskeletal.
(2)Chiropractic.org.nz. 2020. Vertebral Subluxation » New Zealand Chiropractors' Association. [online] Available at: <https://www.chiropractic.org.nz/about-chiropractic/vertebral-subluxation> [Accessed 15 April 2020].
(3)Palmer college of chiropractic. (2015, September 24). Retrieved from https://blogs.palmer.edu/askpalmer/2015/09/24/how-to-alleviate-stress-with-chiropractic-exercises
(4)Ogura T, Tashiro M, Masud M, et al. Cerebral metabolic changes in men after chiropractic spinal manipulation for neck pain. Altern Ther Health Med. 2011;17(6):12-17.
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