ADHD stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Over the past few decades, more and more children (and some adults) have been diagnosed with this condition. But while you’ve probably heard of ADHD before, and you might even have an idea of what this disorder consists of, you may not fully understand exactly what it means to have ADHD, or how to address the symptoms of it.
In this article, we will provide a summary description of ADHD and discuss how chiropractic care can be a great treatment option for addressing the issues associated with the disorder.
ADHD Explained
As was described in the introduction, ADHD is an acronym that stands for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Most people assume that individuals with ADHD are constantly active, essentially running around the room at all times, without regard for safety. These people are seen as “wild” and “rude” and many observers may think that their parents simply “didn’t raise them right”.
In reality, people with ADHD are struggling with a serious condition that few of us could ever fully understand. The chemicals in their brains aren’t working properly, causing them to have serious difficulty focusing and staying on task. In fact, many people with ADHD feel sad and depressed because they are often unable to control themselves in both public and private situations.
As a result, parents of these children look for any possible solutions, sometimes resorting to desperate measures.
ADHD Symptoms
In the previous section, we touched briefly on what you might expect to see in a person with ADHD. ADHD symptoms (for most people) include any or all of the following:
- Impulsive actions.
- Constant fidgeting.
- Inability to stop talking.
- Difficulty focusing and concentrating.
Of course, every case of ADHD is unique, and people very rarely fall into a neat box with regard to their symptoms. However, the above symptoms are present in most people with ADHD.
ADHD Treatments
In the past, patients with ADHD were, unfortunately, simply written off as “bad kids”. Many doctors simply thought that the children’s parents were being overly permissive, or that they weren’t practicing proper parenting techniques.
Luckily, major medical breakthroughs in the past few decades have demonstrated that ADHD is, in fact, a very real condition.
By targeting specific brain chemicals through the use of medication, such as Adderall or Ritalin, physicians can help patients with ADHD focus and improve their concentration.
However, like all medications, pills used for the treatment of ADHD have many side effects. For instance, Adderall can cause headaches, loss of appetite, and gastrointestinal symptoms.
Therefore, many parents will seek out alternative treatments in order to help address their childrens’ needs.
Chiropractic Care for ADHD
Chiropractic care is one such alternative treatment that has shown great promise for helping those with ADHD.
While all chiropractors have slightly different methodologies, the basis of chiropractic care involves the use of spinal adjustments. These treatments consist of the chiropractor specifically applying pressure to various segments of the spine in order to bring the whole spine back into perfect alignment.
Interestingly, spinal adjustments seem to have profound effects on brain and total body health. This is likely due to the intimate connection between the central nervous system and the rest of the body.
Therefore, these treatments seem to help individuals with ADHD. The exact reason for this effect is unclear, but many patients who receive regular chiropractic treatments report improved focus and decreased symptoms of ADHD.
Do you or a loved one have ADHD? If so, you’ve probably tried just about everything to improve your concentration. But if you haven’t tried chiropractic care, you may be missing out on the perfect solution for your condition! Book your appointment with Awaken Chiropractic, your local Parker chiropractors, today.
