Chiropractic Functional Neurology (CFN) is an emerging discipline that addresses the root cause of conditions like concussions and migraines. This practice blends brain-based chiropractic care with health coaching and functional medicine to create customized healthscapes. CFN uses sensory, movement, and visual inputs to stimulate the nervous system and change problematic responses. This approach helps people avoid the need for medications or invasive procedures.
Reduces Pain
Chiropractic neurology is a practice that considers how the spine and nervous system work together. It’s an alternative to medical neurologist care, typically using high-intervention treatments like medications and surgery to treat neurological conditions. A chiropractor who is a Certified Chiropractic Functional Neurology Practitioner (CCFN) has completed extensive education and training. They have passed a series of rigorous exams to become a CCFN. The American Chiropractic Neurology Board re-certifies practitioners annually to ensure they meet the highest standards of practice. A CCFN at Colorado Integrated Neurology will perform a thorough health history and neurological examination. They may also utilize diagnostic testing, including upright MRI, to measure brain function and physical performance. These tests include cranial nerve evaluations, reflex testing, computerized posturography, balance and coordination, visual tracking strategies, saccadometry, and videonsytagmography. They also analyze the muscular-skeletal system to determine what areas need improvement.
Improves Brain Function
The brain comprises billions of nerve cells that are constantly growing, strengthening, and creating new connections. This process is known as neuroplasticity and chiropractic functional neuroscience focuses on promoting this phenomenon. Unlike medical neurologists who use synthetic drugs and invasive surgery to treat patients, chiropractors who specialize in functional neurological rehabilitation utilize physical and sensory-based modalities to improve the function of the brain and nervous system. In addition, they are experts at evaluating how the muscular-skeletal system impacts the nervous system and can provide treatment to improve quality of life. Studies show that spinal manipulation can significantly enhance the communication between the body and brain. Memory can be sharper when this communication is improved and overall mental performance is enhanced. This is one of the reasons that patients often experience a clearer mind after receiving an adjustment from a certified chiropractic neurologist. This also helps them make better decisions and perform at a higher level.
Relieves Stress
Chiropractic functional neurology is a new and growing area of practice that is becoming more popular among people suffering from chronic health conditions associated with the brain or nervous system. A chiropractor trained in this specialty can perform several evaluations, including but not limited to neurocognitive assessments, videotagmography and saccadometry, gait analysis, balance testing, cranial nerve function testing, and postural assessment. Stress is one of the biggest threats to your overall health, and it can cause a variety of physical symptoms like back pain, neck pain, fatigue, and insomnia. Chronic stress triggers the brain to produce hormones like adrenaline and cortisol that can lead to lowered immunity, poor memory, and depression. Correcting spinal misalignments and stimulating different brain areas with various inputs can promote positive neuroplasticity, alleviate stress, and improve overall mood.
Enhances Muscle Strength
It was once thought that our brains stopped developing in adulthood, but it’s now known that the brain constantly adapts to its environment. Whether you’re experiencing a lack of energy or you’re struggling with mental decline, our board-certified chiropractic neurologists can help. They utilize therapeutic modalities based on the premise of the nervous system being able to impact muscular skeletal function. They are trained to identify imbalances in groups of nerves that affect the way you move and the ability to perceive movement. These are called functional lesions and can be corrected using chiropractic functional neurology without the need for drugs or risky surgery. Research has shown that spinal manipulation improves proprioceptive processing by increasing the signal strength received by muscles from the brain to fire. This increase results from the central inhibition mechanism that the brain uses to slow down forces and prevent them from firing too quickly.
