Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects millions of people around the world. In the past, children who were hyperactive or who had difficulty focusing were thought to be “bad” kids who needed to be punished. Fortunately, our understanding of the brain has improved over recent decades. Because of this, we’ve come to realize that ADHD is a disorder, just like any other.
Today, there are many different treatments available for ADHD. The main recommendations for improving focus in individuals with ADHD include therapy, diet plans, and medication. However, chiropractic care can also have a major impact on this debilitating disorder.
What are the Symptoms of ADHD?
As you might expect, ADHD symptoms primarily include restlessness and the inability to focus on a given task. However, there are also many other key symptoms of which many people are unaware. For instance, many individuals with ADHD will exhibit mood swings and can easily become very frustrated with other people or tasks.
These symptoms may, on the surface, sound like the typical issues experienced by any child. However, the issues associated with ADHD can make it almost impossible for children (or adults) to pass their classes or perform well at their jobs.
Furthermore, both family members and the affected individual may develop strained relationships due to the lack of understanding about the condition. Many children with ADHD who have not been diagnosed or treated may be told by their parents or teachers that they “just need to try harder”. This can even lead to clinical depression, as the person with ADHD is truly trying as hard as he or she can.
What are the Typical Treatments for People with ADHD?
Interestingly, the main treatment for ADHD is stimulant medication, such as Adderall or Ritalin. This seems counterintuitive on the surface. One would ordinarily think that a hyperactive disorder would be best treated by a medication that causes less activity in the brain.
The reasons why these ADHD medications work are complicated, and are beyond the scope of this post. If you are interested, you can learn more about the effects of stimulant medications as they relate to ADHD here.
Another treatment for the condition is behavioral counseling. This is often combined with medication in order to make the person more aware of how his or her body is behaving.
Also, many families trial dietary and exercise changes for patients with ADHD. There is a belief that certain foods and habits can contribute to the condition. Therefore, by eliminating these foods and promoting more activity, the hope is that the patient will demonstrate fewer or blunted symptoms.
An additional treatment for the condition that bears consideration is chiropractic care.
Chiropractic Care for ADHD
Chiropractic treatments for ADHD are focused on restoring the normal functioning of the nervous system. Additionally, chiropractic care attempts to reestablish connections between the nervous system and the rest of the body.
By performing specific manipulations, chiropractors may be able to decrease the symptoms of this devastating disorder. Best of all, chiropractic treatments are very low risk. Especially when compared with medications for the disorder, chiropractic care is incredibly safe for patients.
Importantly, we’d like to point out that every case of ADHD is different. Some patients may respond very well to medications and other conventional treatment methods. However, many people may be concerned about the side effects of medication. Others might not be responding to the other treatments listed in the previous section. For these individuals, chiropractic care may be the perfect solution.
If you are looking for a Parker chiropractor to help with your ADHD symptoms, book your appointment with Awaken Chiropractic now!
