The Effects of Imbalance Between Your Sympathetic and Parasympathetic Nervous System

Did you know there are separate parts of your nervous system that control different functions in your body? The nervous system can be broken down in many ways. Muscular function is controlled by the motor component of the nervous system, and the autonomic portion controls the functions of the blood vessels, organs, and glands.

The nervous system can also be broken down into the sympathetic and parasympathetic function. Your sympathetic  nervous system is activated by the flight or fight response. It is activated in times of stress.

Sympathetic nerves originate in the vertebral column near your first thoracic vertebra, and down to your second and third lumbar vertebra. In times of stress, through a series of connections and reactions, these nerves release norepinephrine (a neurotransmitter). With extended stimulus to stress, this can trigger the release of adrenaline from a part of the adrenal gland called the adrenal medulla.

When this is released, specific bodily functions occur including pupil dilation, increased sweating, increased heart rate, and increased blood pressure. With prolonged exposure to stress, these effects can be long lasting, causing your body to work overtime.

The nerves in the parasympathetic system arise from specific cranial nerves (3, 7, 9, and 10) as well as your second, third, and fourth sacral nerves. The parasympathetic nervous system is responsible for functions relating to tear production, urination, salivation, digestion, and defecation. It is also known as the “resting and digesting” portion of the nervous system.

The sympathetic and parasympathetic systems work together, and always strive to be in balance. When one of the systems is working harder, or is stimulated more frequently, some dysfunction may happen.

For example: in today’s world, we are constantly on the go, working too many hours, not getting enough sleep, and overly stressed on a daily basis. This activates the sympathetic nervous system to work more causing something putting the body in a hypersympathetic state or sympathetic overload. When this happens, your heart rate increases, blood pressure increases, and you may experience an overall feeling of being “stressed out.” At the same time, this over runs the parasympathetic system, and it cannot do its job as well. Due to this, you can’t digest your food as well, you can’t rest or sleep as well, you become tired throughout the day, sexual arousal can be decreased, and your body is unbalanced.

One way to help regain your body’s balance is to get your nervous system checked by a Chiropractor to see if everything is functioning at its best. By examining the spine and nervous system, determining what is or is not functioning properly, Chiropractors can help restore proper function and balance through specific care. Our purpose is to help people lead healthier, happier lives, and allow people to be the best mother, father, wife, husband, son, daughter, PERSON they can possibly be. I can promise you that!

If you have any questions, or would like to learn more about how Chiropractic care can help you along your path to true wellness, please feel free to contact me in any of the following ways:

Visit me at Swede Family Chiropractic

130 West Main Street, PMB 312, Suite 126

Trappe, Pa 19426

Call me at 610-831-1650

Visit the office website at www.swedefamilychiropractic.com

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Send me an email at kyleklimdc@gmail.com

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