We Came to the Chiropractor for the Back Pain. We Stayed for the Calm.
GOOD NEWS FOR YOUR SPINE — AND MAYBE YOUR MOOD
Your mood called — and your spine might have something to say about it
Most people come through our doors at Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic with back pain or neck pain — and leave feeling something they didn't quite expect. Lighter. Calmer. Just... better. We've heard it for years, and now science is finally putting words to it.
THE BODY-MIND CONNECTION IS REAL
We are more likely to treat the body and mind as distinctly different things — the chiropractor handles the back, the therapist manages the stress. But your nervous system doesn't see it that way. Increasingly, researchers are discovering that physical, hands-on approaches like the gentle delivery of spinal manipulation with Cox® Technic here at Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic may have ripple effects on how we feel emotionally and mentally, too.
WHAT THE RESEARCH IS FINDING
Three recent reviews are particularly exciting. A 2026 systematic review by Schulz & Huzij looked particularly at manual therapy and depression, finding favorable patterns across many studies. (1) West & Huzij published a companion review focused on anxiety, with similarly hopeful outcomes. (2) A 2025 analysis by Gordon and colleagues looked across multiple trials and found something pretty wonderful — people receiving hands-on care were feeling meaningfully better, with real reductions in anxiety, depression, and stress. (3) These aren't small, outside-the-norm studies — they're rigorous reviews of multiple trials, and the findings are regular enough to get people in the research world truly enthusiastic.
A QUICK, HONEST NOTE
We want to be honest with you, because we think you merit that: this research is exciting, but it's not a magic answer. We always want what's best for you, and that means saying clearly: if you're seeing a mental health professional, please stick with them. We're just happy to be part of your team. What this research does imply at is something many of us already feel intuitively: you can't really separate the two — when your body gets care and attention, your whole self tends to feel it. Whether you're a longtime chiropractic patient at Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic or just curious, we're always happy to talk about how chiropractic care fits into your bigger picture of health — mind included.
CONTACT Lombardy Chiropractic Clinic AND COME AS YOU ARE
You don't need to have the right words or the perfect explanation. Bring whatever you're carrying — physically, mentally, all of it — and we'll help you sort through it.
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Christine Goertz, esteemed chiropractic researcher now at Duke University, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she discusses how to “take your back back” with chiropractic care. You’ll be ready to chat about help for your back and your mood!
Make your Augusta chiropractic appointment now. Our gentle, safe treatment with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management may well lower your pain which in turn calms your mind.
