Anxiety in Virginia Beach VA

Unraveling the Enigma of Anxiety: A Neurologically-Focused Perspective

Anxiety, often synonymous with panic attacks, is a profound and intense sense of dread or fear concerning future events. It's an intrinsic human response, a defense mechanism triggered when we sense danger. This response manifests in our thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. Although occasional bouts of anxiety are common during stressful situations or significant life changes, persistent anxiety that hinders one's ability to live a fulfilling life can evolve into a severe mental health issue. This is particularly crucial in children, where anxiety can considerably impact their overall well-being and development.

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Recognizing the Signs and Symptoms of Anxiety

The initial step to managing anxiety is recognizing its symptoms, which enables early intervention. Children with anxiety often exhibit signs such as restlessness, a sense of impending doom, increased heart rate, rapid breathing, sweating, trembling, fatigue, concentration issues, sleep disorders, and gastrointestinal problems. Sensory sensitivity, emotional regulation difficulties, sleep disturbances, and muscle tension are also common indicators.

In the realm of neurologically-focused pediatric chiropractic, we adopt a more comprehensive approach. We delve into the child's history, tracing elements as far back as conception, pregnancy, and childbirth. By digging this deep, we can identify when the child's nervous system might have shifted into the sympathetic “fight, flight, or freeze” mode, which is often the root cause of anxiety and emotional dysregulation.

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Understanding the Different Types of Anxiety

Anxiety comes in many forms, and understanding these variants allows us to tailor care to individual needs. Neurologically-focused chiropractic places emphasis on the underlying neurophysiological factors contributing to conditions like agoraphobia, anxiety due to medical conditions, panic disorder, separation anxiety, and social anxiety.

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Root Causes of Anxiety

Conventional medical understanding attributes anxiety to a blend of factors such as genetics, brain chemistry, stress, and the child's environment. However, from a neurologically-focused chiropractic perspective, we believe that the neurological health of the individual plays a significant role in anxiety. We consider three crucial concepts: subluxation, dysautonomia, and dysfunction of the vagus nerve.

Subluxation pertains to the misalignment and imbalance within the nervous system, leading to dysautonomia, a disruption of the balance between the central and autonomic nervous system. Subluxation can hinder communication between the brain and the body, affecting organs and tissues involved in the stress response.

If the nervous system is trapped in a sustained sympathetic response, it stimulates the release of neurotransmitters and signals that trigger anxiety and distress. This further fuels the sympathetic response, creating a cycle of neurological stress, which we refer to as the Perfect Storm.

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Dysautonomia, The Vagus Nerve, and Anxiety

Dysautonomia is an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system, with an overactive sympathetic response and an underactive parasympathetic response. This imbalance amplifies the body's stress response, leading to increased heart rate and other physiological symptoms associated with anxiety.

The vagus nerve, responsible for the "rest and relaxation" side of the nervous system, often becomes damaged during birth, especially in cases involving interventions like C-section, forceps, vacuum, or induction. Overlooked birth trauma is often seen in children struggling with anxiety, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, and other neurodevelopmental challenges.

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Natural, Drug-Free Approaches to Managing Anxiety

As neurologically-focused chiropractors, our strategy targets the root cause of your child's anxiety and seeks to restore balance to the autonomic nervous system and vagus nerve. We aim to alleviate the accumulated stress and tension within the child's nervous system, allowing for better vagus nerve and parasympathetic system activation.
Our unique clinical approach includes in-depth case histories, consultations, and INSiGHT scans to identify and detect the presence of subluxation and dysautonomia. We aim to address the root cause of anxiety, not just the symptoms.

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How We Can Help

If your child is struggling with anxiety or any other neurological challenge, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with us. Parents today seek more than just a label for their child's symptoms. They yearn for a deeper understanding of the root causes and drug-free solutions to manage their child's anxiety effectively.
Our ultimate goal aligns with yours – enabling your child to flourish and function at their best. We are committed to crafting a personalized action plan that helps your child heal naturally, ensuring a future free from the debilitating effects of anxiety.