Mental Health

Chiropractic care supports mental health by promoting optimal nervous system regulation and enhancing the body’s stress resilience. By reducing sympathetic dominance and supporting parasympathetic balance, chiropractic adjustments shift individuals toward a state of physiological safety and regulation. Case reports and patient observations suggest improvements in mood, mental clarity, emotional stability, and overall well-being. While chiropractic does not claim to diagnose or treat mental health disorders, it serves as a complementary approach that supports nervous system function and enhances quality of life.

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Chiropractic Care and Mental Health: Enhancing Nervous System Balance for Improved Mood and Resilience Introduction

Mental health is deeply tied to nervous system function and our capacity to handle stress. Conditions like anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are often accompanied by an overactive “fight-or-flight” response. This is facilitated by the sympathetic nervous system which causes high stress hormones. Research shows that major depressive disorder, for example, is associated with autonomic nervous system imbalances. Patients often exhibit elevated cortisol, adrenaline, insomnia, agitation, and anxiety which is a chronic fight-or-flight state pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Chiropractic care, by focusing on the spine and its influence on the nervous system, may help shift the body out of this stressed state into one of safety and regulation. Patients receiving chiropractic frequently report not only relief of physical pain but also improved mood, mental clarity, better sleep, and greater emotional stability. These anecdotal observations are now being supported by scientific studies demonstrating the positive effects of chiropractic adjustments on mental health measures. This article will explore how chiropractic influences the nervous system, improves vagal tone, and regulates sympathetic/parasympathetic balance. Chiropractic does this by removing subluxations, or interefrence with the nervous system in the mechanical presentation of joint dysfunction. We will review evidence from case studies, clinical trials, and journals that show how chiropractic care can benefit those suffering from depression, anxiety, PTSD, and related mental health issues. Note, chiropractic is not presented as a standalone treatment for mental disorders, but as an adjunctive, holistic approach focusing on nervous system regulation. Always seek appropriate mental health care; however, chiropractic care may be a valuable complementary strategy for improving mental well-being.

The Autonomic Nervous System, Stress, and Mental Health

To understand how chiropractic might improve mental health it’s important to grasp the role of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). The ANS has two primary arms: the sympathetic (“fight-or-flight”) and the parasympathetic (“rest-and-digest”). When we face danger or stress, the sympathetic branch releases adrenaline and cortisol, raising heart rate and muscle tension. This is a useful acute response, but if overactive chronically it contributes to anxiety, insomnia, and mood disturbances pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. In contrast, the parasympathetic nervous system, which is largely mediated by the vagus nerve, promotes relaxation, digestion, and recovery. Good mental health is associated with a flexible balance between these systems. Strong vagal tone means a high capacity of the vagus nerve to calm the body. It correlates with better stress resilience and emotional regulation, whereas low vagal activity is linked to anxiety and depression. In psychiatric research, increasing vagal activity has been shown to reduce anxiety and improve mood frontiersin.org. In fact, vagus nerve stimulation is an FDA-approved treatment for refractory depression, highlighting how crucial this nerve is in modulating brain areas involved in mood and fear.

Chiropractic can influence the autonomic nervous system in profound ways. Spinal adjustments stimulate mechanoreceptors and spinal cord pathways that reflexively affect ANS output. Studies using heart rate variability (HRV) have found that chiropractic care tends to shift the body toward parasympathetic dominance. HRV is an objective measure of autonomic balance and vagal tone in the body. In one clinical study, a single chiropractic adjustment led to a patients’ average heart rate decreasing while measures of overall HRV power increased after the adjustment pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. These HRV improvements indicate enhanced parasympathetic (vagal) tone and a reduction in sympathetic arousal. Over a period of several weeks, repeated adjustments produced sustained improvements in HRV indices in patients, suggesting a lasting recalibration of autonomic function pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Researchers have described that chiropractic care regulates the autonomic nervous system… activating the parasympathetic system to counterbalance the sympathetic pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. In simple terms, chiropractic adjustments appear to help calm the fight-or-flight response and bolster the rest-and-digest response. This physiologic shift can create a state of safety in the body that is conducive to healing, mental calm, and emotional resilience.

Another mechanism by which chiropractic’s impact on the nervous system may improve mental health is through neurochemistry. When parasympathetic/vagal pathways are stimulated, the brain can release mood-enhancing neurotrophic factors. Notably, vagal nerve activation has been shown to trigger the release of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and nerve growth factor (NGF), proteins that support neuroplasticity and are often deficient in depression pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. A 2020 review on the neurobiological basis of chiropractic care in depression noted that enhancing parasympathetic activity through chiropractic adjustments could increase these neurotrophins and help alleviate depressive symptoms pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov v. Thus, by promoting a healthier balance in the ANS, chiropractic care may also favorably influence brain chemistry and growth factors important for mood regulation.

Improving Mood and Depression through Spinal Adjustments

Depression is frequently accompanied by physical symptoms and measurable physiologic changes. These include high stress hormones, systemic inflammation, muscle tension, and disturbed sleep: all of which are tied to nervous system dysregulation. Chiropractic care addresses the nervous system at a fundamental level, which may explain the positive outcomes observed in some patients with mood disorders. An emerging body of clinical evidence suggests chiropractic adjustments can lead to notable improvements in depressive symptoms and overall mood.

One remarkable case report documented the long-term relief of major depression in a 44-year-old woman who received chiropractic treatments for chronic tension headaches chirosecure.com. The patient had daily headaches and comorbid depression unresponsive to other therapies. After six months of regular chiropractic adjustments, she experienced complete resolution of her headaches and was able to discontinue all medications. Even more striking, her mood stabilized dramatically. She reported freedom from depressive symptoms and mood stability that persisted over six years of follow-up while under maintenance chiropractic care chirosecure.com. The doctors noted that chiropractic care appeared helpful in the outcome of this “neuropsychiatric disorder,” and called for further research into chiropractic’s role in mental health chirosecure.com. This case aligns with others in chiropractic literature where patients often report feeling emotionally uplifted as their chronic pain or tension resolves.

Autonomic balance through chiropractic and depression. As discussed earlier, a chronically hyperactive sympathetic nervous system can drive or worsen depressive symptoms. Chiropractic’s ability to activate the parasympathetic side may therefore relieve some depressive physiology. A peer-reviewed review in Acta Biomedica pointed out that all the hallmark symptoms of major depression - elevated cortisol, adrenaline, insomnia, agitation - can be attributed to over-activation of the sympathetic nervous system. Conversely, chiropractic adjustments may help by boosting vagal (parasympathetic) activity to counteract this imbalance pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. The authors concluded that “chiropractic… may be regarded as [a] treatment option for depression”, especially given the parallels between chiropractic’s effects and those of vagus nerve stimulation in releasing antidepressant neurochemicals pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

While large-scale trials specifically on depression are still limited, there are promising findings. In a recent randomized controlled trial involving patients undergoing residential treatment for substance addiction, researchers measured psychological health outcomes in participants receiving chiropractic adjustments versus a sham treatment. The chiropractic group showed a remarkable 97% improvement in depression scores measured by the Beck Depression Inventory. This occurred over a 3-month period as compared to virtually no improvement in the control group vertebralsubluxationresearch.com. The 2020 study also found that anxiety scores improved and that the chiropractic-treated patients had zero relapses during the trial, whereas the placebo group had drop-outs vertebralsubluxationresearch.com. These results suggest substantial mood benefits accompanying the nervous system-focused care. Another large-scale study, conducted in a military healthcare setting, evaluated health-related quality of life in 750 active-duty personnel with back pain. Besides pain relief, those who received chiropractic care alongside usual medical care reported better mental health and emotional scores on standardized questionnaires (PROMIS scales) than those who received medical care alone pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. All mental health domains, including depressive symptoms, showed statistically significant improvement when chiropractic care was added pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. This indicates that the benefits of chiropractic likely extend “beyond pain and pain-related disability” into broader quality of life improvements pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov - encompassing mood, energy, and emotional well-being.

In summary, by alleviating physiological stress and improving nervous system balance, chiropractic care has demonstrated antidepressant-like effects in various contexts. Patients often describe feeling “lighter” or more positive after adjustments, which correlates with the preliminary research showing reductions in depressive symptoms. Given that depression involves both mind and body, a holistic approach like chiropractic can be a powerful complementary strategy. The evidence to date, from case reports to controlled studies, strongly suggests that those struggling with mood disorders may find relief and improved outlook with regular chiropractic care. Chiropractic is aimed at restoring neurological communication and reducing stress signals which alleviating anxiety and builds stress resilience. Anxiety disorders include generalized anxiety, panic attacks, and chronic stress-related anxiety. They frequently manifest with physical symptoms that chiropractic can address. People with anxiety often experience muscle tension, headaches, neck and back pain, a racing heart, gastrointestinal discomfort, and other bodily signs of an overactive stress response. By reducing tension and influencing autonomic function, chiropractic adjustments may help break the vicious cycle where physical stress feeds mental anxiety (and vice versa). Chiropractic has shown positive effects on anxiety and stress regulation.

Numerous case studies document patients with anxiety finding relief through chiropractic care. For example, a recent case report in the Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic followed a 38-year-old female patient with a 3-month history of anxiety and panic attacks, alongside neck and back pain. She underwent 7 weeks of chiropractic adjustments using Torque Release Technique, focused on correcting spinal subluxations. By the sixth visit, not only had her neck pain and back discomfort largely resolved, but her anxiety levels also plummeted journal.parker.edu. Using the PHQ-4 anxiety/depression questionnaire, her anxiety score dropped from a positive screening indicative of mild anxiety down to 0.5 out of 6 after the chiropractic care plan. This is essentially the normal expected range journal.parker.edu. Her depression score also dropped to 0, and she reported feeling better able to manage stress. Her self-rated stress resilience improved from 48% to 78% on a wellness index journal.parker.edu. Importantly, this patient’s improvements came without any psychological therapy or medication changes during the chiropractic trial, suggesting the chiropractic adjustments themselves contributed to easing her anxiety. In the discussion of that report, the authors note that although research on chiropractic for anxiety is still emerging, their findings mirror those of other reports. They even cited a case series of five patients where all five showed significant decreases in anxiety scores after six weeks of upper-cervical chiropractic care journal.parker.edu.

Physiological stress reduction of cortisol and tension: chiropractic care can also reduce objective measures of stress in the body. High cortisol, the hormone released during stress, is often elevated in anxiety disorders. In a case reported in J. Contemp. Chiropractic, a 40-year-old woman with chronic neck pain, headaches, and anxiety underwent a course of chiropractic treatment. Over the course of care, her salivary cortisol levels was measured at several points and showed a consistent decline, correlating with her subjective anxiety reduction journal.parker.edu. By the end of care she reported marked improvement in daily function and a significant drop in anxiety severity, alongside improvements in posture and muscle tension. The authors concluded that chiropractic management was associated with subjective improvement in both musculoskeletal and anxiety symptoms for this patient, and that the parallel decline in cortisol provides a biological indication of reduced stress load journal.parker.edu. This physiological evidence, namely lower cortisol and muscle relaxation, reinforces how adjusting the spine can calm the body’s fight-or-flight machinery by regulating the nervous system. Chiropractic creates a more relaxed state that is less conducive to anxiety. Patients commonly report that after an adjustment they feel “looser” in the muscles and often experience a sense of calm or even improved sleep that night, which can accumulate to large benefits for an anxious individual.

As mentioned earlier, when chiropractic care is added to standard medical care patients tend to report better overall well-being. In the 750-person military trial, besides improvements in pain and physical function, the chiropractic group had significantly better scores in mental health domains including reduced anxiety and stress impact, compared to controls pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Another controlled study from earlier chiropractic research found that patients receiving chiropractic adjustments had reduced anxiety scores on standardized tests (such as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) relative to those who did not receive the adjustments journal.parker.edu. The trend in the literature is that anxiety symptoms improve in many patients under chiropractic care. The mind-body approach of chiropractic focuses on releasing tension, improving spinal biomechanics, and quieting the sympathetic nervous system. This offers a natural way to address the physical triggers and manifestations of anxiety.

Beyond measured anxiety and stress scores, chiropractic patients often describe feeling an improved sense of well-being, relaxation, and mental clarity after their adjustments. This subjective relief can be life-changing for someone with chronic anxiety, as it breaks the feed-forward loop of worry and physical stress. By enhancing parasympathetic tone and reducing the muscle bracing and pain that often accompany anxiety, chiropractic care gives the body permission to shift into a healing, restful mode. Over time, this can retrain the patient’s stress response to be less reactive. In essence, chiropractic helps restore a state of balance in which the patient can feel safe and centered, improving their capacity to handle life’s stressors without tipping into anxiety or panic.

Help for PTSD and Trauma-Related Stress

Post-traumatic stress disorder is a condition where the nervous system becomes “stuck” in survival mode due to past trauma. Patients with PTSD commonly experience hyperarousal, always being on high alert, insomnia, nightmares, flashbacks, and heightened startle responses. These are all signs of a persistently overactive sympathetic nervous system. They may also suffer from chronic pain or tension as the body literally holds stress in the muscles and spine. While PTSD is complex and typically managed with psychotherapy, there is growing interest in approaches that directly address the body’s role in trauma. Chiropractic care, by regulating the spine and nervous system, appears poised to aid in PTSD recovery by promoting a shift out of the hyper-vigilant state. Early observations and studies indicate that chiropractic can be beneficial for those with PTSD, especially when physical pain or dysfunction is present. In a veterans’ chiropractic clinic, it was noted that a large proportion of patients with back pain also had comorbid PTSD, and their PTSD symptoms often flared when pain did. The good news is that by treating the musculoskeletal issues, many of these veterans found not just pain relief but also some easing of their PTSD-related symptoms. A pilot study of combat veterans receiving chiropractic reported that many participants experienced improvement in their condition after a course of care. This statistic comes from a 2010 VA report, suggesting that more than half of the veterans got clinically notable relief yourlegacyhealth.com. Whether it be in pain levels, daily function, or PTSD symptoms when recieving chiropractic treatment. These findings make sense because pain can be a potent trigger or amplifier of PTSD symptoms. By alleviating pain and calming the body, chiropractic may reduce the background noise of stress that fuels PTSD episodes.

There are also published case studies highlighting direct PTSD symptom improvements with chiropractic care. One case involved a 35-year-old male veteran with post-deployment PTSD who had exhausted traditional mental health treatments vertebralsubluxationresearch.com. He sought chiropractic care, specifically a gentle approach known as Network Spinal Analysis, with the goal of reducing his constant state of emotional stress and improving resilience. Over 6 weeks of care (12 sessions), his chiropractor assessed and adjusted areas of spinal tension and dysfunction. The result was a measurable improvement in PTSD symptoms. The patient reported feeling more able to cope, less triggered, and more emotionally stable in daily life vertebralsubluxationresearch.com. The case report concluded that the chiropractic care coincided with the reduction of the patient’s PTSD symptoms over that time frame vertebralsubluxationresearch.com. While this is a single-patient example, it aligns with the idea that restoring proper nervous system signaling by relieving tension in the spine and meninges can reduce the physiological underpinnings of PTSD such as constant fight-or-flight activation.

It’s worth noting that PTSD often requires a multi-faceted approach, including psychological support. Chiropractic can play a unique role by targeting the somatic aspect of PTSD: the tight muscles, the dysregulated autonomic responses, and the spinal dysfunctions that may both result from and reinforce chronic trauma responses. Patients with PTSD who undergo chiropractic care commonly report better sleep and fewer headaches, a greater sense of ease in their body, and sometimes reduction in frequency or intensity of anxiety episodes. By improving spinal alignment and easing nerve interference, chiropractic might help reset the baseline state of the nervous system from one of perpetual alarm to one of relative calm. This creates a foundation upon which other therapies like counseling, EMDR, or meditation can build more effectively. The emerging evidence, coupled with the anecdotal success stories from veterans and trauma survivors, makes a persuasive case that chiropractic should be considered as part of a comprehensive PTSD treatment plan. This is especially the case for those who also suffer from pain or tension disorders related to their traumavertebralsubluxationresearch.com. As one chiropractic integration in the military noted, care that “removes interference from the nervous system” allows the brain and body to function optimally and can help balance hormones and stress responses, which is crucial for anyone working through the aftermath of trauma.

Vagal Tone and Sympathetic Balance: The Chiropractic Advantage

A recurring theme in depression, anxiety, and PTSD is that improving vagal tone and restoring sympathetic/parasympathetic balance leads to better mental health outcomes. Chiropractic adjustments offer a hands-on, drug-free method to achieve this. By correcting spinal subluxations or misalignments, chiropractors reduce stress on the nervous system, which in turn can normalize autonomic function. Patients often show increased heart rate variability and lower resting heart rates post-adjustment pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. These are signs of a healthier, more resilient nervous system. They also frequently exhibit reductions in muscle tension and improvements in posture that indicate the body is transitioning out of defense. All of these physiologic changes support mental tranquility and focus.

It’s also important to acknowledge the role of patient-centered, holistic care. Chiropractors spend time with their patients, often providing lifestyle advice and a calming presence, which can have indirect mental health benefits. However, beyond any placebo effect, the cited research clearly demonstrates objective changes in the form of hormonal, neurological, HRV, and psychological test scores linked to the specific intervention of chiropractic. For example, when an adjustment boosts vagal nerve output the patient might not only feel an immediate calm but also set in motion long-term neuroplastic changes pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. This mind-body interaction is at the heart of chiropractic’s influence on mental health because it improves mood and cognitive function. .To summarize the benefits, here are some key positive effects of chiropractic care on mental health that have been observed:

Shifts from Fight-or-Flight to Rest-and-Digest: Chiropractic adjustments can decrease excessive sympathetic activity. Patients often experience drops in blood pressure and heart rate and report feeling more relaxed after treatment pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govjournal.parker.edu. This corresponds with an increase in parasympathetic tone (higher vagal activity), creating a physiological state of safety and calm.

Improved Vagal Tone and Resilience: By stimulating the vagus nerve indirectly through spinal and cranial nerve pathways, chiropractic care improves vagal tone. High vagal tone is associated with resilience to stress, better emotional regulation, and lower anxiety frontiersin.org. Chiropractically induced increases in HRV reflect this enhanced resiliency to daily stressors pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

Reduction in Stress Hormones: Cases have documented reductions in cortisol levels during chiropractic care for chronic pain and anxiety journal.parker.edu. Lower cortisol can mean less bodily anxiety, improved sleep, and better mood stability. Patients also report improved sleep quality and energy, likely due to breaking the cycle of chronic stress arousal.

Alleviation of Physical Tension and Somatic Symptoms: Chiropractic effectively relieves headaches, neck/back pain, and muscle tightness. Since these physical symptoms often exacerbate anxiety and depression rtor.org, their resolution removes a significant burden on mental health. Many patients with depression or anxiety feel “stuck” in their body; chiropractic helps free up that tension, which often correlates with improved mental outlook.

Enhanced Mood and Cognitive Clarity: Both subjective reports and objective measures like the Beck Depression Inventory or PROMIS mental health scales show mood improvements with chiropractic interventions vertebralsubluxationresearch.com pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Some studies even note cognitive enhancements – for instance, improved P300 brain wave activity, which is related to attention and information processing, in patients receiving chiropractic vertebralsubluxationresearch.com. Patients frequently describe a post-adjustment sense of clarity or a “fog” lifting from their mind.

Support in Addiction Recovery and Behavioral Health: Chiropractic’s benefits aren’t limited to anxiety/depression – they extend to complex behavioral health scenarios. In the cited trial on individuals in addiction treatment, regular adjustments not only improved depression/anxiety scores but also helped prevent relapse and improve retention in the program vertebralsubluxationresearch.com. This suggests a profound stabilizing effect on both mind and body, which can be transformative for those working to overcome addictive or traumatic patterns.

Conclusion: A Holistic Path to Mental Wellness

Chiropractic care offers a promising approach to improving mental health by way of nervous system regulation. It bridges the gap between physical health and emotional well-being. By addressing spinal health and neural communication, chiropractic taps into the body’s innate ability to regulate stress and heal. The positive outcomes of chiropractic range from reduced anxiety and depression to better sleep and PTSD symptom relief. Individuals suffering from mental health challenges that stem from nervous system dysregulation or are exacerbated by chronic pain and tension, have a lot to gain by exploring chiropractic care. Importantly, chiropractic is a natural, non-invasive therapy. Chiropractic does not add chemical side effects or significant risks when performed by a trained professional, which makes it an attractive adjunct for those seeking comprehensive mental health care. Chiropractic addresses that physical side of the equation, helping to normalize the “hardware” so that the “software”, one’s mind and emotional coping can function optimally. As one review noted, combining spinal adjustments with approaches like vagal nerve stimulation and other therapies could create a powerful synergistic effect for treating depression and other mood disorders pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov.

In summary, mental health is not just in our heads; it lives in every part of our nervous system. Chiropractic physicians recognize this and have been treating the whole person, mind and body, for over a century. Now, modern research is catching up to validate what many chiropractic patients have reported anecdotally: when your nervous system is balanced, you feel better emotionally. You are more resilient to stress, you sleep more deeply, your mood lifts, and life’s challenges become easier to handle. For anyone struggling with anxiety, depression, PTSD, or other stress-related conditions, chiropractic care is a worthy consideration as part of a holistic healing journey. By gently nudging the body back into alignment and calm, chiropractic can help unlock the natural state of wellbeing and mental peace that we all desire. Remember: If you or someone you know is dealing with mental health issues, consult with qualified healthcare providers. Chiropractic care can be an excellent complementary approach to support nervous system health and improve mental wellness, but it works best as part of an integrated plan that may include therapy, exercise, nutrition, and medical management as needed. Always communicate with all members of your healthcare team about the therapies you are receiving. Ultimately, the positive impact of chiropractic on mental health is an empowering message: it means that by caring for ourbody, we are also caring for our mind and emotions. The road to mental wellness may very well start with a healthy, well-adjusted spine.

References

Kiani, A.K., et al. (2020). Neurobiological basis of chiropractic manipulative treatment of the spine in the care of major depression. Acta Biomed, 91(13-S): e2020006. (Review findings: Depression linked to sympathetic overactivity; chiropractic spinal manipulation may activate parasympathetic/vagal pathways to counteract high cortisol/adrenaline, releasing antidepressant neurotrophins)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Zhang, J., et al. (2006). Effect of chiropractic care on heart rate variability and pain in a multisite clinical study. J. Manipulative Physiol. Ther., 29(4): 267-274. (Multicenter study: A single chiropractic adjustment significantly reduced pain and heart rate while increasing HRV measures – higher high-frequency power, SDNN, total power – indicating enhanced parasympathetic activity)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.govpubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Hays, R.D., et al. (2022). Health-Related Quality of Life Among US Service Members with Low Back Pain Receiving Usual Care Plus Chiropractic Care vs. Usual Care Alone: Secondary Outcomes of a Pragmatic Clinical Trial. Pain Medicine, 23(9): 1550-1559. (750 active-duty military personnel study: Adding chiropractic to usual medical care led to better outcomes on all PROMIS-29 quality of life scales, including significant improvements in mental health domains like anxiety and depression, beyond what usual care achieved)pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Legacy Health Chiropractic (2010). Chiropractic Services for Military & Veterans – PTSD. LegacyHealthChiropractic.com. (Summary of VA findings: Noted that PTSD symptoms are often worsened by co-existing pain; cited a 2010 study in which 61% of combat veterans reported improvement in their condition after receiving chiropractic care for musculoskeletal complaints)yourlegacyhealth.com
Fox, P. & Martin, S. (2017). Improvement in Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Following Network Spinal Analysis Care: A Case Study & Review of Literature. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, September 28, 2017: 169-175. (Case report: 35-year-old male with combat-related PTSD saw improvements in PTSD symptoms – better stress coping and reduced anxiety – after 6 weeks of Network Spinal chiropractic care focused on reducing vertebral subluxations and tension)vertebralsubluxationresearch.com
Chu, E.C.P. & Ng, G. (2018). Long-term relief from tension-type headache and major depression following chiropractic treatment. J. Family Med. Primary Care, 7(3): 629-631. (Case report: 44-year-old woman with chronic headaches and depression achieved complete resolution of headaches and sustained remission of depression after 6 months of chiropractic care; remained headache-free with stable mood over 6-year follow-up)chirosecure.com
Alcantara, J., et al. (2022). Reduced Anxiety Symptoms in a Patient Screened with the PHQ-4 Receiving Chiropractic Care: A Case Report and Review of the Literature. J. Contemporary Chiropractic, 5: 50-61. (Case report: 38-year-old female with mild anxiety and panic attacks had her PHQ-4 anxiety score drop to 0 (from 3) and depression score to 0 (from 2) after 7 weeks of Torque Release Technique adjustments; discusses 2 clinical trials and multiple case reports showing anxiety reduction with chiropractic)journal.parker.edujournal.parker.edu
Holt, K. & Russell, D. (2020). Reduction of Cortisol Levels and Perceived Anxiety in a Patient Undergoing Chiropractic Management for Neck Pain and Headache: A Case Report and Review of Literature. J. Contemporary Chiropractic, 3: 131-139. (Case report: 40-year-old woman with chronic neck pain and anxiety experienced subjective anxiety improvement and a measured decline in salivary cortisol during chiropractic care; concludes chiropractic care was associated with improved anxiety symptoms and stress physiology)journal.parker.edu
Breit, S., et al. (2018). Vagus Nerve as Modulator of the Brain–Gut Axis in Psychiatric and Inflammatory Disorders. Frontiers in Psychiatry, 9: 44. (Neuroscience review: Describes how the vagus nerve controls mood and stress responses; notes vagal tone correlates with the capacity to regulate stress and that increasing vagal activity (e.g. via meditation or vagus nerve stimulation) helps mitigate anxiety and mood symptoms – supporting the rationale that chiropractic’s vagal activation can aid mental health)frontiersin.orgfrontiersin.org
Vaden, C.D., et al. (2020). P300 Wave Outcomes in Subluxation-Based Chiropractic in Residential Addiction Treatment: A Randomized Controlled Trial. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, December 28, 2020: 178-192. (RCT in an addiction rehab setting: Chiropractic group vs sham adjustment over 90 days – the chiropractic group saw 97% improvement in depression scores and 36.5% improvement in anxiety scores, along with improved P300 brain wave measures and 100% program retention; suggests chiropractic care yields significant psychosocial benefits in high-stress populations)vertebralsubluxationresearch.com