Every year, 62 million Americans are diagnosed with a digestive disorder, a health issue that typically increases with age. Digestive issues can have a serious impact on your everyday life, as they reduce your energy, deplete you of essential nutrients, keep you at home, and interfere with your personal and professional life. While most people reach for over-the-counter medications, there are drug-free, natural options to consider that do more than just treat symptoms. Indeed, chiropractic care is a holistic approach that identifies and treats the root cause of a patient’s health conditions. Let’s take a look at how chiropractic care can help people suffering from digestive issues achieve better health.
What Are Digestive Issues?
The digestive system is responsible for absorbing key nutrients and removing waste (i.e. toxins). A digestive issue is simply any health problem occurring in the digestive tract. Digestive issues can range from mild to severe and can affect people at any age.
Common Digestive Problems
- Abdominal Pain
- Bloating
- Celiac disease
- Constipation
- Crohn’s disease
- Diarrhea
- Gallstones
- Gas
- Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD)
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Nausea
Main Causes of Digestive Issues
While there are a wide range of causes, researchers have discovered that genetics are a main cause of digestive issues. Environmental factors also play a role too. This includes your diet, location, medications, mood, and stress levels, as well as any traveling or moving. If you make any major changes to your normal routine, this can all impact your digestive system.
The Link Between Your Digestive System and Nervous System
Did you know that your digestive system is linked to your nervous system? This means your nervous system is responsible for telling your digestive system how to function. When there is any neurological interference within the spine, this has a direct impact on your digestive health.
Your Spine Communicates With Your Stomach
The thoracic and lumbar parts of the spine control how fast or slow your body breaks down and digests the food you eat. When there are nerve issues in the spine, this will affect your digestive system’s ability to function properly.
The Connection Between Lower Back and Stomach Issues
Numerous studies have shown that people suffering from stomach issues also typically have lower back pain. A spinal misalignment can occur in the lower back, which then prevents key signals from reaching your brain.
Spinal Subluxations
If you have a spinal subluxation, this can prevent your body from absorbing essential nutrients and vitamins from the food you eat. This can lead to weight loss, malnutrition, and other serious health concerns.
How Can Chiropractors Help Patients with Digestive Issues
Like any health condition, a licensed chiropractor can identify and treat the underlying cause of your digestive issues. This is a much different approach than just taking medications to temporarily treat symptoms. Indeed, a chiropractor can perform a gentle adjustment to correct any spine subluxations. This will gently guide your vertebrae back into proper alignment. As a result, this will remove the strain off of your nervous system and allow it to function properly. You will then likely experience less digestive issues as your nervous system can now effectively communicate with your digestive system. Many patients experience enough pain relief that they can reduce or even discontinue using medications for their digestive problems.
As you can see, chiropractic care is an effective, all-natural approach to treating common digestive issues. We encourage you to discuss your treatment options with your primary care doctor, who will likely offer numerous recommendations. If you are interested in learning how you can achieve better health, contact West Michigan Chiropractic. Our Portage chiropractors would love to help you start feeling better and living life to your fullest potential!