Anxiety Mataro

Jennifer Anxiety/Hernia

Three and a half years ago, a patient suffering from severe anxiety attacks received her first adjustment. Her problem stemmed from intense work-related stress, which led to a new type of stress; the emotional one.

These attacks were not continuous, but when they occurred, the patient suffered so much that at times she needed emergency medical assistance. For these reasons, she visited her doctor who prescribed her anxiolytics; this way, she dulled the problem, but did not resolve it. And since her work-related stress, along with the emotional stress, continued to persist, the medical treatment “helped” to alleviate the attacks and the state of anxiety. As a result of the first adjustment, she experienced an unexpected reaction; in the days following it, she felt that her body was out of control.

Her question was; what have you done to me? Why do I feel this instability? And once again, the attacks appeared; her body rebelled. With each adjustment she received, she felt that instead of improving, she was losing more control and could not explain what was happening to her. She began to feel fear and rejected the idea that Chiropractic could help her; on the contrary, what she was receiving seemed to worsen her condition. And feeling unwell increased her distress, and she returned to the cycle of emotional stress with anxiety attacks. However, she did not give up and decided to give herself some time, continuing to receive adjustments. A year later, she began to notice a change.

It took her a whole year to listen to her body, as it was the first time she noticed that it was asking her for something; to adjust. Her nervous system began to balance. Her attacks stopped recurring, and she evidently abandoned the anxiolytics since they were no longer necessary; she felt secure without them. And she realized something very basic; since the first adjustment, her own body began to work internally in such a way that through those reactions she felt as if she were “losing control,” her body was simply starting to cleanse itself, slowly releasing everything it had inside that was “asleep,” and in this way, she began to feel an internal and external improvement. Understanding this internal work, listening to her body, yielded results through the improvement she had been seeking for so long. And she changed her behavior and way of thinking. A year ago, she experienced a blockage; her back stiffened and the pain was very intense. She insisted on the adjustments, but it did not resolve the blockage nor did the pain disappear, and after a longer time than expected, she decided to see a doctor.

After the MRI, the diagnosis was 3 herniated discs. As expected, the doctor prescribed painkillers and anti-inflammatories, in addition to recommending surgery. The patient, at 34 years old, did not see herself going under the knife, much less believing that such an operation would completely resolve her ailments. Sometimes surgery may be the only alternative, but it does not guarantee that the problem will be solved; on the contrary, over-relying on such operations carries more risks, and the side effects often turn out to be worse than the initial ailment itself. She decided to wait; there would always be the possibility of surgery, she thought. And she decided to continue listening to her body. She decided to keep receiving adjustments.

Additionally, she sought other alternatives that, far from undergoing something as drastic as surgery, could provide her with greater benefit; she looked for an exercise that would help her feel better and relax. Combining a bit of Pilates and adjustments became her best “operation.” Currently, she feels much better, barely feels her hernias, and does not need any medication. She has substantially gained a quality of life that no surgical operation could have provided her. “Learning to listen to your own body, thinking positively, maintaining healthy habits and routines, receiving my adjustments following the chiropractor’s guidelines have all contributed to my quality of life. Now I have health. And this is the only ‘recipe’ I follow, and I advise all those who receive medication or are advised to undergo surgery as the only response to their ailments, which may not resolve their problems as they believe. Sometimes the solution is simpler, more accessible to us… you just have to know how to listen and understand that it is an internal work that may take a little longer in some cases, but in return, you start to enjoy health. I feel grateful for allowing chiropractic to come into my life.

I wanted to share my experience with this testimony that, without a doubt, may resonate with others who have felt the same way I did or who are currently suffering from the same symptoms. And I tell them to start practicing health as soon as possible.”