Breaking the Pain Cycle: How Chiropractic Care Tackles Chronic Pain at Its Source
Chronic pain can feel like a vicious cycle. The more pain you feel, the less you move. The less you move, the stiffer and weaker your body becomes — feeding right back into more pain. If you’ve been living with persistent neck pain, back pain, headaches, or joint discomfort, you might be wondering:
Is it possible to finally break free from chronic pain?
At Ability Chiropractic, we believe the answer is a resounding yes.
But the real question is how.
Most people are stuck treating symptoms, never realizing there’s a deeper solution within reach.
In this blog, we’ll show you what makes our approach different—and why it just might change everything for you.
Restoring Movement to the Spine
One of the biggest culprits in chronic pain is restricted movement in the joints of the spine. When the spine isn’t moving well, it places abnormal stress on surrounding muscles, ligaments, and nerves. Over time, this leads to inflammation and persistent discomfort.
Chiropractic adjustments restore normal motion to these spinal joints. Studies have shown that spinal manipulation can improve range of motion and reduce pain levels, especially in cases of chronic low back pain (Rubinstein et al., 2019).
By freeing up stiff joints, chiropractic care helps you move better with less pain — and that’s a powerful step toward breaking the pain cycle.
But improved movement is just the beginning — because what happens next in your nervous system is where the real healing begins.
Stimulating the Nervous System
Your spine houses the spinal cord — the main highway of communication between your brain and body. When spinal joints aren’t moving well, they can irritate nearby nerves or send distorted signals to the brain.
Research suggests that spinal adjustments influence how the nervous system processes pain and movement (Haavik & Murphy, 2012). In other words, chiropractic care can “reset” how your brain interprets pain signals, helping calm the overactive pain responses that often drive chronic conditions.
And when your nervous system is functioning at a higher level, the effects go far beyond pain relief — your entire body has a better shot at healing and thriving.
The Ripple Effect of a Healthy Spine
Beyond just pain relief, chiropractic care is known for its whole-body benefits. Restoring spinal motion and optimizing nervous system function helps improve:
Posture and muscle balance
Sleep quality
Stress levels
Physical performance
Daily comfort in activities like sitting, working, or exercising
Many chronic pain sufferers also experience fatigue, anxiety, and depression. Chiropractic care helps your spine move the way it’s meant to—so your body can heal the way it was designed to.
The Research Says Chiropractic Works
Multiple high-quality studies support chiropractic care for chronic pain:
A systematic review found spinal manipulation was moderately effective in improving pain and function in patients with chronic low back pain (Rubinstein et al., 2019).
Another review highlighted chiropractic adjustments as effective for chronic neck pain and headaches (Bronfort et al., 2010).
Haavik & Murphy (2012) discuss how spinal adjustments may change how the brain processes pain and movement signals, leading to long-term relief.
These findings align with what we see every day at Ability Chiropractic: patients moving better, feeling better, and finally escaping the grip of chronic pain.
You’re Not Stuck — Let’s Break the Cycle
If you’re tired of living in pain, we’re here to help you take your life back. Chiropractic care is a safe, drug-free solution that works with your body’s natural ability to heal and thrive.
Now that you’re certain you’re in the right place, we can’t wait to show you how chiropractic care can help you live better. Schedule a visit with us today!
References
Bronfort, G., Haas, M., Evans, R., Leininger, B., & Triano, J. (2010). Effectiveness of manual therapies: The UK evidence report. Chiropractic & Osteopathy, 18, 3. https://doi.org/10.1186/1746-1340-18-3
Haavik, H., & Murphy, B. (2012). The role of spinal manipulation in addressing disordered sensorimotor integration and altered motor control. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 22(5), 768-776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2012.02.012
Rubinstein, S. M., Terwee, C. B., Assendelft, W. J., de Boer, M. R., & van Tulder, M. W. (2019). Spinal manipulative therapy for chronic low-back pain: an update of a Cochrane review. Spine, 44(10), E531-E539. https://doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0000000000002979