Did you know that 47% of the population is experiencing muscle pain right now? Muscle pain can be caused by tension, overuse, and injury, but in many cases, muscle pain or weakness goes undiagnosed and untreated.
One man, Simon King, was puzzled by cases of muscle weakness and pain that didn’t respond to traditional treatments—like massage, manipulation, or exercise. So, he turned his attention back to the basics of the human body and its anatomy. He zoomed in on the system that controls the muscular system—the nervous system. Over time, inspired by the positive response he noticed in his patients, he developed a treatment method that is both practical and effective—afferentology. So, let’s explore this method in more detail!
What is Afferentology?
Afferentology is an applied branch of kinesiology. Kinesiology studies the feedback of muscles—using muscle testing—to determine and address imbalances in the body. Afferentology goes one step further. It diagnoses the strength of the connection between the nerve and its associated muscle by testing various reflexes and muscle tone.
The nervous system controls the entire body. Our ability to breathe, walk, speak, and heal depends on this intricate system of messages that travel from the brain to our neurons and back. A muscle can only be as strong and healthy as its connection to its relevant nerve, but sadly, this relationship gets very little attention in modern medicine.
A poor muscle-nerve connection is called muscle inhibition, leading to weakness, pain, and muscle degeneration. In cases like this, typical treatments aren’t successful until a healthy nerve-muscle connection is restored. This is made possible through the careful practice of afferentology, which includes diagnosis and specific adjustments.
3 Ways Afferentology Enhances Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care typically focuses on joint and spinal alignment to restore the body’s natural balance and support healing using:
- Spinal manipulations
- Soft tissue massage
- Mobility Exercises
- Specific stretches
Typically, patients experience improved range of motion, pain relief, and enhanced performance following treatment. Why? Optimal spinal alignment relieves pressure on nerves—supporting healthy muscle-nerve communication—and is naturally a form of afferentology.
Chiropractors who have additional training in the diagnostic and treatment methods of afferentology can:
- Better identify weaknesses—and the source of pain—even in underlying muscle tissue.
- Focus on muscle tone, instead of joint position and movement alone.
- Use specific adjustments to help restore your body’s normal muscle tone and strength via enhanced neural connection.
The ability to treat specific musculo-neural weaknesses leads to a more accurate diagnosis, quicker healing time, and a more efficient recovery plan.
It’s important to remember that no two bodies are the same. Your chiropractor will conduct a thorough examination, perform as many diagnostic tests as possible, and craft a personalized recovery plan that suits your muscles, your nervous system, and your lifestyle.
If you’re not sure if afferentology will provide any answers to your chronic pain or help restore your muscle strength, contact us to book an appointment and find out more. Here at Bradford House Chiropractic Clinic, we are passionate about health, natural pain relief, restoring your strength—and quality of life!
