Living with chronic gastrointestinal problems can take a toll on even the most patient person. These problems can cause sufferers to deal with daily discomfort, depleted nutrients, and energy, and even mean that some people need to miss work or normal activities they enjoy.
If you deal with chronic stomach problems, you are definitely not in the minority. According to GI Alliance, twenty million Americans suffer from chronic digestive diseases.
When someone is dealing with chronic stomach problems, the usual treatment is over-the-counter (OTC) stomach medications or seeing a general physician for relief. However, someone who should be on your care team if you have chronic stomach problems is a chiropractor.
If you find that no matter how many medications or treatments you try your stomach is still giving you issues, consider seeing a chiropractor for relief. Chiropractors are trained to deal with gastrointestinal conditions such as:
- Bloating
- Gas
- General Abdominal Pain
- Constipation
- Diarrhea
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS)
- Crohn’s Disease
In this article, we will explore how the stomach issues you have been experiencing may actually be more about your nervous system than about your digestive system.
Your Stomach and Your Spine
If you have chronic stomach problems, then you probably already know that certain foods, stress, and infections can cause even more inflammation and make your stomach feel worse. However, while you may have tried avoiding certain foods and reducing stress, you probably haven’t thought about how your spinal alignment is also affecting your digestive system.
You see, your digestive system is connected to your nervous system meaning your spine is also directly connected. A collection of nerves branch out of your spinal cord and connect to your stomach and intestines. These nerves carry signals to your brain and play an essential role in digestion. These signals help with the movement of food through your gastrointestinal system, absorption of nutrients and minerals, and the removal of waste products through your intestines.
Therefore, if your spine is out of alignment, the signals it sends to your digestive system can misfire. Issues with your lower back can keep the signals to help with digestion from going to your brain, possibly causing the digestion problems you’ve been experiencing.
A subluxation, or a misalignment of the spine, can also cause bones and spinal discs to press against nerves, pinching or compressing them. This, too, can cause a host of stomach problems from heartburn and gas to diarrhea and constipation.
What Can a Chiropractor Do for Stomach Pain?
If you’re tired of carrying a bottle of antacids around with you all day, it might be time to seek the help of a chiropractor for your chronic stomach issues.
At your first visit, discuss the stomach problems you have been experiencing and the treatments you have tried to relieve your pain. After sharing this information with your chiropractor, they will then conduct their own evaluation of your situation.
Don’t let your digestive system affect your quality of life. Contact a professional at South Orange Chiropractic Center to discuss how we may be able to help you relieve your symptoms and become less dependent on medications for your stomach issues.
