What Toxins Are Released After Chiropractic Adjustment?
Have you ever left your chiropractor feeling that sense of release, but also a bit tired and sore? It’s normal. Similar to a massage, your body is working through recovery to help you feel better. All of this can be described as your body “releasing toxins.”
It might sound alarming, but it’s important to understand what “toxins” mean. Toxins refer to the natural metabolic byproducts and inflammatory waste that build up in your body's tissues over time. Maybe you’ve heard of lactic acid—this is an example of metabolic waste.
A chiropractic adjustment is designed to restore motion and reduce tension. This acts as a reset, allowing your body’s natural circulatory and lymphatic systems to ramp up and do their job. That job? Flushing out these byproducts.
What Actually Happens During Your Chiropractic Adjustment?
A chiropractic adjustment—also referred to as spinal manipulation—is a safe treatment used to restore proper motion to joints that have become restricted. Many patients may refer to them as “stuck.”
With a specific and controlled movement, a chiropractor restores normal joint mobility, reduces nerve irritations, and releases tension in the surrounding muscles. This often sounds like a popping or cracking sound, but fear not! Nothing cracks—it’s the sound of a gas bubble being released from the fluid within your joint. (Who doesn’t love cracking their knuckles?)
By restoring proper movement, the adjustment sets off a cascade of positive benefits, including pain relief, better posture, enhanced mobility and joint function, and much more.
Your Body’s Post-Adjustment Reactions
Now that your adjustment is done, your body begins to adapt to its improved alignment and mobility. Many people feel immediate relief and a boost in energy. But it’s completely normal to feel mild soreness or stiffness for 24 to 48 hours post-adjustment.
It might be easier to think of this another way. You go to the gym and workout a muscle group you haven’t in a while. You’re not injured, you’re just sore and your body needs time to adjust. Chiropractic is very similar. You’ve asked your body to move in a way it hasn't in a long time and your body needs time to recalibrate.
The Natural Detoxification Process of a Chiropractic Adjustment
Let’s bring back to why you’re here—toxins. An adjustment doesn’t create toxins to circulate throughout your body. It helps your body remove the waste that’s already there, clearing you out for better recovery and results.
Improves Circulation
If movement in your joint is restricted, then muscles around it often become chronically tight. This tension compresses your blood vessels, slowing down blood flow. An adjustment that improves joint movement allows your muscles to relax while fresh, oxygen-rich blood flushes out metabolic waste, like lactic acid.
Stimulates Your Lymphatic System
Your lymphatic system keeps your fluid levels balanced and defends against infection. When you’re stiff and restricted, your lymphatic system becomes sluggish. As you can guess, this greatly affects your body’s ability to defend itself. An adjustment improves mobility, helping you drain inflammatory byproducts more effectively.
Regulates Your Nervous System
Fight, flight, rest, digest—you’ve heard all of these before, but here’s where they come into play. An adjustment has a powerful effect on your nervous system, helping to shift your body out of the “fight-or-flight” mode and into the “rest-and-digest”mode. Why does this matter? “Rest-and-digest” helps your body heal and repair, giving your body the ability to repair, optimize, and detox.
Supporting Your Body After a Chiropractic Adjustment
Feeling a little “off” after an adjustment is okay. At Innerlux Healing Collective, we do our best to support you pre- and post-adjustment to mitigate any uncomfortable feelings. While this is normal and common, the good news is you can help your body through this natural cleansing process and maximize the benefits of your treatment by:
Hydrating, as this is so important to flush out all the metabolic waste we’ve talked about above. Aim to drink several glasses of water in the 24 hours following your adjustment.
Gently moving to help circulate blood and aid in the detox process. A light 15-20 minute walk is fantastic.
Listening to your body and giving yourself permission to rest.
Following expert advice if your chiropractor offers any tips or suggestions after your appointment.
That feeling of soreness or fatigue isn’t a setback—it’s your body changing for the better. Schedule a consultation with our team and let’s talk about getting you back to where you want to be!
