Chiropractic Care for Gastrointestinal Issues

Chiropractic is most often associated with the spine, yet this form of alternative medicine can have wider-reaching effects on the body. Particularly, addressing gastrointestinal issues.

Keeping your spine in alignment can have a positive impact on how food passes through your stomach and intestines. If you’re living with a condition like gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), how can chiropractic treatment help?

Common Digestive Issues

An estimated 60 to 70 million Americans have some kind of digestive concern. These issues often develop as a result of sedentary living. Digestive warning signs include:

• Slower motility – how food travels through your digestive tract
• Feeling sluggish and tired all the time, no matter how much you relax or sleep
• Having few pounds you can’t lose, despite exercise and adjusting your diet
• Being unable to finish full meals
• Going to the bathroom frequently
• Loose or bloody stools
• Frequent constipation, stomach cramping and nausea
• Difficulty swallowing
• Living with unexplained chest pain

If you have been diagnosed with GERD, your doctor may prescribe a proton pump inhibitor (PPI) to control how much acid your stomach produces. However, long-term PPI use is associated with certain cancer risks, kidney disease and higher rates of osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease.

The nervous system extends from the spine directly to the stomach and plays a role in how your gastrointestinal system operates. Issues with these pathways impact how efficiently the stomach and intestines digest food, remove waste and absorb nutrients.

Relationship Between Spine and Digestive Health

Your spine and gastrointestinal system are more closely related than you may think. This connection influences the effects of chiropractic care on your stomach and intestines.

Spine and Stomach

The thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine influence the rate at which the digestive system breaks down food. More specifically, the digestive system communicates with the stomach about how fast and how well it should work.

People with lower back pain or poor vertebral alignment often experience gastrointestinal issues, as these conditions alter nerve signals passing from the spine to the digestive tract.

Subluxation

Another word for spinal misalignment, people with a subluxation do not get the nutrients they need no matter how well they eat, as their digestive system is less likely to absorb all vitamins and minerals.

Pinched or compressed nerves created by subluxations often correlate with other digestive symptoms. Patients are more likely to live with heartburn, cramping, gas and constipation. Poor nerve communication means your digestive organs cannot function optimally.

Tension

Those with a sedentary lifestyle tend to experience muscle tension in the abdominal area. This imbalance exacerbates many digestive issues, no matter how well you eat or any medications you take.

Chiropractic Care for Digestive Conditions

With these points in mind, chiropractic care to address gastrointestinal health involves:

• Adjusting spinal subluxations through manipulation or mobilization, so all vertebrae are positioned correctly without compressing any nerves. This helps digestive organs operate to their fullest and improve the effectiveness of certain medications.
• Passive therapy can help relieve muscle tension worsening certain conditions.
• Exercise can help restore nerve pathways between the spine and digestive system.

Following multiple treatments, patients may find that:

• Stomach and esophageal irritation from GERD is reduced
• The body can digest food sooner, which lessens IBS symptoms
• You have more of an appetite
• Your weight loss efforts are more effective
• You experience less constipation, bloating
• Crohn’s disease symptoms are improved

Approach your digestive health from a new angle! To learn more, schedule an appointment at The Chiropractic Health Center of Glastonbury today.