Understanding pain modulation
Pain is not simply a signal from injured tissue — it’s a complex experience shaped by how the brain interprets sensory input. The spinal cord and brain constantly filter and adjust these signals through a system known as central pain modulation. Research led by Dr Heidi Haavik and colleagues has shown that chiropractic spinal adjustments can influence this process, changing how the nervous system processes and perceives pain.
What the research explored
Using EEG, SEPs (somatosensory evoked potentials), and fMRI, researchers examined how spinal manipulation alters cortical and subcortical activity in regions involved in pain perception — including the somatosensory cortex, thalamus, and anterior cingulate cortex. The goal was to understand whether spinal adjustments activate descending inhibitory pathways that help regulate pain sensitivity.
Key findings
- Chiropractic adjustments changed pain-related brain activity in regions responsible for sensory and emotional aspects of pain.
- Post-adjustment recordings showed reduced cortical N30 SEP amplitude, indicating altered sensory integration and decreased hyperexcitability.
- Functional imaging revealed enhanced connectivity in brain networks associated with endogenous pain inhibition.
- Participants often reported decreased pain sensitivity, even without changes in local tissue — supporting a central rather than purely mechanical mechanism.
Clinical implications
These findings suggest that spinal adjustments may help the nervous system recalibrate its pain thresholds — not by blocking pain, but by improving how the brain interprets sensory information. This may help explain why many patients experience relief beyond the immediate area adjusted.
In practice
- We focus on identifying and correcting dysfunctional spinal segments contributing to altered sensory feedback.
- Care is combined with movement, breathing, and postural strategies that reinforce healthy neural patterns.
- By improving sensorimotor integration, chiropractic adjustments can support the body’s natural pain-regulation systems.
Read the study: Cervical Spine Manipulation Alters Sensorimotor Integration: A Somatosensory Evoked Potential Study
This research summary is for educational purposes only. Chiropractic adjustments do not “treat” pain directly, but may influence how the nervous system perceives and manages it.
