Adrenal Fatigue and How Chiropractic Care Can Help?

If you’re suffering from low energy, brain fog, anxiety, poor sleep, cravings for salt or carbs, weight gain, hormonal or digestive problems, you might have gone to the doctor for some lab tests, and been told you were fine because the lab results were normal.

Maybe you tried searching for a reason on Google and came across the term “adrenal fatigue” and wondered if that was what you were suffering from.

What is Adrenal Fatigue?

The term “adrenal fatigue” is a bit of a misnomer, because your adrenals actually don’t get tired of functioning - unless you have Addison’s disease, which is where adrenals stop producing cortisol.

According to the Endocrine Society, no scientific proof exists to support adrenal fatigue as a true medical condition. Symptoms commonly associated with adrenal fatigue such as fatigue, body aches, sleep disturbances, and nervousness are non-specific and can be found in many recognized and treatable conditions. Therefore, it is not recognized as a diagnosis by the medical community.

What are Adrenal Glands?

The adrenal glands are critical components of the human endocrine system. These two small, triangular-shaped glands are located on top of the kidneys.

They are responsible for producing and releasing various hormones, including cortisol, adrenaline, and aldosterone, which play crucial roles in regulating stress responses, immune function, metabolism, blood pressure, and other vital physiological processes. 

If I Can’t Prove Adrenal Fatigue, What Does This Mean For Me?

First, it means that you don’t need to have your condition fit into a neat diagnosable box for it to be confirmed. You don’t have to wait for science to prove that it’s not just in your head.

Second, regardless of what you want to call it, these symptoms you are experiencing are a result of your stress response system (your hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, HPA axis for short) being activated too frequently and stuck in survival mode.

This happens when our bodies are burdened beyond their capacity to keep up. After a chronically activated stress response, your brain tells your adrenals to turn down cortisol and adrenaline production.

That’s when you start feeling more aches and pains, and if you’re able to sleep, you feel tired all the time no matter how many hours of sleep you get.

Common Triggers of Adrenal Fatigue

The stress response is often set into motion by a combination of the following factors:

• Chronic Mental and Emotional Stress
• Lack of Sleep
• Poor Diet
• Overuse of Stimulants (like caffeine)
• Gut Health
• Physical Trauma
• Infections
• Overexertion without Adequate Rest
• Environmental Toxins

The body has an innate ability to heal and repair. Still, the cumulative events of stress, in its various forms, will eventually tip the balance, down the slope of disease - the more factors involved, the steeper the slope.

Common Steps to Recover from Adrenal Fatigue

If you are experiencing persistent fatigue and stress, it is important to focus on your overall well-being. The following practical and lifestyle-focused steps may help boost your energy levels, reduce stress, and improve your overall health and wellness.

• Consume a balanced diet
• Minimize intake of processed foods such as chips, pre-packaged meals, soda, and sugary drink
• Start moderate exercises such as walking or cycling daily
• Practice stress management techniques, like yoga, mindfulness, and meditation
• Avoid watching TV and using mobile phones before bedtime to improve sleep quality
• Aim for 7-9 hours of quality sleep
• Establish a regular schedule of sleeping and waking up at the same time every day
• Drink at least 2-3 liters of water daily
• Limit caffeine and alcohol consumption

Can Chiropractic Care Help?

The spine plays a vital role in the function of the nervous system, which is part of your stress response system. Misalignments or 'subluxations' in the spine can cause abnormal communication between the brain and any organ system in the body.

Chiropractic adjustments correct these subluxations - improving nerve flow and function, stimulating the parasympathetic nervous system to promote a sense of calm, and helping to bring the body out of a chronically stressed state.

The chiropractic care approach offers a natural and non-invasive way to help your body find its balance, and support not only your adrenal health but your overall well-being.

Get Help from ATLAS Chiropractic

If you're tired of feeling constantly exhausted, if you're ready to clear the fog and reclaim your energy, we're here for you. Contact us now for a check-up and a detailed discussion about your health.

Your body is intelligent; what we do best at ATLAS is to help clear whatever is in the way of your body’s intelligence from functioning at full force. With our expert services and unwavering commitment, we aim to bring you out from the shadow into a life of vitality and energy. This is more than healthcare - it's life care.