According to the National Institute of Health, 70 million Americans suffer from digestive diseases, costing the US $100 billion in medical bills. Many digestive and gut health issues can be directly related to the types of food we eat, but our spine and nervous system health can also impact them.
When there is a spinal misalignment, the misaligned vertebra puts additional pressure on one or more nerves that exit between spinal bones. These nerves are the brain’s way of connecting with every cell, tissue, and organ in the body. Additional pressure on nerves causes communication issues between the brain and the organs and tissues of the body. Signals from the brain can be sped up, slowed down, or garbled so the whole message isn’t communicated clearly. Interrupting communication between the brain and the digestive system can result in a wide variety of gastrointestinal symptoms.
Book Your First Digestive Disorder Consultation
Exam includes in-depth whole-body analysis with provider, posture pictures and insight nervous system scans (provided if necessary). Consultation & plan of action will help you understand your care options.
Depending on your symptoms, you may be diagnosed with GERD, IBS, diverticulitis, constipation, diarrhea, Crohn’s Disease, or other conditions affecting the digestive system.
Not only does gut health impact digestion, but it is also responsible for 60-80% of our immune system. The National Health Institute links over 40 diseases to bacterial imbalances in the gut, including depression, arthritis, IBS, and cancer. If you have digestive problems of any kind, it is crucial to get checked by a chiropractor to ensure that the communication system between your gut and your brain is functioning properly.
How Our Digestive Disorder Relief Plan Works
1. Be Heard
And Understood
Quality time with a health professional, so you can be truly heard and understood, isn’t all that common. We understand that. This is why, on your first visit, you will meet with one of our doctors and share your health concerns and struggles so we can understand exactly why you are here and what you want to achieve. The doctor will determine what testing is necessary to find the source of your health concerns and answer the biggest question of all: Can Chiropractic Care Help?
2. Discover How We Can Help You
Every new patient should feel like they are making the right decision for their health. This is why our doctors explain what they are looking for in the testing, so our patients know exactly what is going on, instead of just being a bystander. We will share everything we discover from your testing and exams, including if we can help you. In the unfortunate event that we cannot help, our doctors will provide any additional resources they feel would be appropriate to assist you.
3. Achieve Your Health Goals Together
Whether you just want to be out of pain, or you want to get back to golfing without limitations, or you are desperate to get a restful night’s sleep, we will be with you every step of the way. We’ll achieve your goals
How We Help With Digestive Disorders in West Omaha, NE
Comprehensive Consultation and Exam
Digestive problems can be a complex matter, and if left unaddressed, can lead to serious health issues. When a new patient comes to Family First Chiropractic with digestive symptoms or other health conditions related to digestive problems, we look to determine the root cause of the symptoms and how those symptoms might impact the patient’s everyday life. The doctor will complete a full health history, comprehensive examinations, and any necessary X-rays or testing. This process will help the doctor determine if the nerve interference areas correlate to digestive function and create a plan to restore optimal nerve function.
After completing the examination and testing, the doctor will analyze all the findings to confirm the presence of misalignments, or subluxations, affecting the nervous system. After locating subluxations within the spine, the doctor can determine the best plan of action for correcting misalignments and alleviating excess pressure on the nerves. Restoring nerve function allows your body to heal and return to functioning optimally.
Specific Chiropractic Care Utilizing Gonstead Technique in West Omaha, NE
Our office utilizes the Gonstead Technique, which is very specific in addressing the correction of subluxations. The doctor will use five specific assessment criteria on every visit to determine what subluxations are present and how to address them.
- Visualization
- Instrumentation
- Static Palpation
- Motion Palpation
- X-ray Analysis
Subluxations irritate nerves, which then interferes with the communication from your brain to your body. Correcting subluxations takes pressure off the nerves, allowing the entire body, including the digestive system, to function better. Patients struggling with digestive problems often report improvements in other body systems as well once they begin a series of corrective chiropractic adjustments.
In addition to corrective adjustments, the doctors can provide nutritional guidance aimed at improving digestive symptoms. Depending on a patient’s specific digestive symptoms, we may recommend diet changes to help achieve better gut health. These may include adding specific foods or supplements or even eliminating foods or specific ingredients to promote optimal digestive functioning.
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Common Digestive Disorders We Help With in West Omaha, NE
GERD
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD), commonly known as acid reflux, occurs when excess acid travels back up from the stomach and into the esophagus, irritating and inflaming the esophageal lining. This upper digestive issue is most common in people with a weakened esophageal sphincter. When that valve is weak, it doesn’t close properly and can allow stomach acid to enter the esophagus, resulting in acid reflux and heartburn. Unfortunately, 20% of the population suffers from GERD.
If a misalignment in the spine interferes with the nerves involved in this digestive process, it could contribute to excess acid production and a weakened esophageal sphincter. Correcting the misalignment with chiropractic adjustments can restore proper communication between the brain and the digestive system, often resulting in a better-functioning digestive system.
IBS
Irritable Bowel Syndrome is one of the most common lower digestive disorders. However, IBS can be difficult to diagnose because many of the symptoms mimic other conditions. IBS symptoms can include abdominal pain, bloating, constipation, diarrhea, nausea, urgency in passing urine or stool, and vomiting. Most often, though, someone suffering from IBS will only experience one of these symptoms at a time.
A spinal misalignment, typically in the lower spine, can irritate the nerves that feed the lower digestive system. This nerve irritation can be the source of the “Irritable Bowel.” Correcting the misalignment and reducing or eliminating the nerve interference could improve a person’s symptoms.
Bloating & Gas
Bloating and gas can occur when your digestive system can’t break down and absorb certain foods, leading to frustration and embarrassment. They can result from food intolerances, digestive issues, or even hormones. While problems with bloating and gas may come and go, anyone who regularly deals with them is at risk for more severe problems that result from excess pressure on internal organs.
A chiropractor can assess the function of the nerves that feed the digestive system and ensure no interference in the nervous system. Depending on the factors contributing to the gas and bloating, a chiropractor can also provide guidance on nutrition and supplements that can improve digestion function overall.
Constipation & Diarrhea
Constipation and diarrhea are common issues, but regularly experiencing either of these conditions is not normal. These conditions can be related to food intake, lack of exercise, and dehydration. However, it could also indicate something more concerning, like a functional problem with the digestive tract. Prolonged constipation can lead to even more serious issues, so it is crucial to address them sooner rather than later.
Digestive issues like constipation and diarrhea can be caused by subluxations in the spine, interfering with the nervous system’s ability to communicate with the digestive organs. When messages from the brain to the digestive system can’t travel easily along the nervous system, this communication breakdown can speed up or slow down the digestive system’s overall function.
Crohn’s Disease
Crohn’s disease occurs when the immune system attacks and damages the lining of your digestive tract, resulting in inflammation in the bowels. Both the small and large intestines can be affected by Crohn’s disease. Often, if a person is suffering from Crohn’s disease, they experience weight loss, bleeding, severe cramping, inflammation, abdominal pain, and even abscesses in the intestines.
For people suffering from Crohn’s disease, a chiropractic check-up can ensure that the nerves responsible for communicating with the small and large intestines function correctly and can facilitate clear communication between the brain and the gut.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can chiropractors in West Omaha, NE, help with digestion?
Yes! When the nerves that control the gut are not functioning properly because of spinal misalignments, the digestive tract will not function properly. Chiropractic can re-establish the connection between the gut and the brain, ultimately improving digestion.
Can a misaligned spine cause digestive problems?
When the bones in the spine (the vertebrae) misalign, pressure on the nerves can interrupt the brain’s connection to that part of the body. If the nerves affected by the misalignment feed into the digestive tract, it can contribute to digestive problems.
Can a chiropractor help a bloated stomach?
Chiropractic helps improve digestion by restoring communication between the brain and the body. Bloating can be caused by the digestive tract not running at its most optimal because the nerves supplying the gut are experiencing interference. Chiropractic clears nerve interference and helps the gut function properly, inevitably helping with bloating.
Can tight back muscles cause digestive problems?
As the muscles in the back tighten up, they can pull on the bones in the spine, causing misalignments. As the bones in the back become misaligned, they put pressure on the nerves, which decreases their function. If those nerves control the digestive system, then one can experience digestive issues because the digestive system isn’t receiving 100% nerve supply.
How do I get rid of GERD?
Avoid foods that irritate the stomach lining to decrease GERD symptoms, such as spicy foods, caffeine, chocolate, alcohol, etc. Don’t eat too close to bedtime, and drink water between meals rather than during meals. Lastly, get checked by your local chiropractor for signs of nerve interference with the digestive system.
How do I get fast relief for IBS?
IBS results from irritation of the bowel lining. To get relief, one must eliminate the factors inflaming the gut lining, including dairy, processed foods/sugars, refined grains such as wheat and oats, alcohol, and caffeine. Additionally, by getting regularly checked by a local chiropractor for subluxations, one can reduce additional inflammation within the body, which may contribute to the IBS symptoms.
Can chiropractors help bowel movements?
Yes! Bowel movements can be too slow, too fast, or a combination of the two. Irregularities can stem from a problem with the nerves controlling the bowels themselves. Chiropractic can help find and correct the problem with those nerves, thus helping restore proper bowel function.
Book Your First Digestive Disorder Relief Consultation
Exam includes in-depth whole-body analysis with provider, posture pictures and insight nervous system scans (provided if necessary). Consultation & plan of action will help you understand your care options.