Does Chiropractic Care Release Toxins from the Body?

If you’re preparing for your first chiropractic visit, you may have heard of toxic release. After your first adjustment, you may experience cold or flu-like symptoms. Rest assured, you didn't catch something in the waiting room. Here’s what you need to know about what happens when toxins are released from the body and why your muscles and body releasing toxins is a good thing. 

What is Toxic Release?

Approximately 20% of chiropractic patients experience toxic release following an adjustment. It might sound a little scary, but it’s actually a positive reaction to chiropractic treatment. Your body is releasing toxins due to spinal manipulations, which is a good thing. 

Unfortunately, releasing those toxins from muscles and joints has some temporary and unpleasant symptoms. If you are part of the small percentage of people who experience toxic release symptoms, you can take comfort knowing that your body is adjusting to the expulsion of metabolic waste and the symptoms will soon fade.

Toxic Release Symptoms

If your body does go through toxic release, though most people don’t, the symptoms include fatigue, headache, night sweats, tight muscles, and cold and flu-like symptoms. Feeling tired is also common after a chiropractic adjustment because your body is adjusting to the way your nervous system is responding to the treatment. 

Before your spine and joints are returned to proper alignment, your nervous system is likely hindered by subluxations. After an adjustment, your nerves function optimally, which can cause exhaustion as your central nervous system finally transitions out of a state of chronic stress.

Toxic Release 101

All throughout the day, your body is reacting to chemical signals between the spinal cord and the brain. When vital nerve communication is disrupted due to subluxations, that action slows down. Clearing those blockages and restoring optimal neurological signaling results in an adjustment period for the body, which can cause it to feel tired and even slightly under the weather.

Think about your nervous system like a major highway. When there is a traffic jam (a subluxation), the flow of vehicles comes to a standstill, causing congestion to back up for miles. If there is a subluxation in your spine, it creates a similar roadblock, allowing physical tension and cellular waste to build up. That pressure can result in many different ailments, from chronic issues to headaches. When spinal manipulations clear that roadblock, the sudden rush of restored circulation is what triggers those temporary cold-like symptoms.