The Science Behind Chiropractic and Whole-Body Adaptation - How Spinal Alignment May Influence Your Brain, Hormones, and Immune System
When most people think of chiropractic care, they picture relief from back or neck pain. And while that’s often the first reason someone steps into my office, the benefits of chiropractic care reach far beyond the spine itself.
A new review published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research — “Vertebral Subluxation and Systems Biology: An Integrative Review” — explores how chiropractic adjustments may influence the body on a much deeper level. It highlights how spinal health can affect the neuroendocrine-immune (NEI) system — the communication network connecting your brain, hormones, and immune function.
The Body as a Connected System
Your body is constantly adapting — to stress, movement, emotions, and environment. That adaptability depends on clear communication between three key systems:
The nervous system (your body’s communication highway)
The endocrine system (your hormonal regulators)
The immune system (your defense and repair network)
Together, these form the NEI supersystem — a beautifully complex feedback loop that keeps your body balanced.
According to this research, when vertebral subluxations (areas of spinal dysfunction that alter normal nerve communication) are corrected through chiropractic adjustments, it may help restore the body’s ability to self-regulate and adapt.
What the Research Found
The authors reviewed over 130 scientific studies exploring how chiropractic care impacts different aspects of human physiology. Here’s what they found most intriguing:
💓 Blood Pressure
Several studies — especially those focused on the upper cervical spine — showed normalization of blood pressure after chiropractic adjustments. One landmark trial found a single C1 correction produced sustained improvement in blood pressure over eight weeks.
🌿 Stress Hormones (Cortisol)
Chiropractic care appears to influence cortisol, the body’s primary stress hormone. Adjustments may help the body regulate cortisol levels more effectively — an important step in restoring balance between stress, rest, and recovery.
⚡ Heart Rate Variability (HRV)
HRV is a powerful measure of how well your nervous system adapts to stress. Multiple studies found increases in HRV following chiropractic adjustments, suggesting better autonomic balance and resilience.
🦠 Immune Function
Research also points toward enhanced immune adaptability. One recent study showed a 117 mg/ml increase in secretory IgA, a key immune marker, just 30 minutes after an upper cervical adjustment — showing how the body can respond quickly and positively to improved neural communication.
What This Means for You
This integrative approach supports what chiropractors have observed for decades — that when the spine functions properly, the body can express health more fully.
Chiropractic care isn’t about “curing” one system at a time. It’s about helping the whole body communicate, adapt, and thrive.
When you receive an adjustment, you’re not just aligning bones — you’re supporting your brain, hormones, and immune system in working together the way nature intended.
This article was inspired by research published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research (Haavik et al., 2022) exploring how chiropractic care may influence the neuroendocrine-immune system.
Haavik, H., Holt, K., & Murphy, B. (2022). Vertebral Subluxation and Systems Biology: An Integrative Review Exploring the Salutogenic Influence of Chiropractic Care on the Neuroendocrine-Immune System. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research.
