Can Chiropractic Care Help with Digestive Issues?

Can Chiropractic Care Help with Digestive Issues?

It is a fair question. The nerves that supply your stomach and intestines connect to the spinal cord, so it is easy to see why people wonder whether the spine and digestion are linked.

What the Research Shows

The evidence does not support chiropractic care as a treatment for reflux, constipation, irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or other digestive conditions. A 2021 systematic review of spinal manipulation for conditions outside the muscles and joints did not find good evidence for these uses (Côté et al., 2021).

When Back Pain and Stomach Trouble Overlap

Some people notice mid-back tension during long stretches of sitting and also have stomach discomfort. The two can happen together without one causing the other. Mid-back pain itself is something we evaluate and care for.

When to See Your Physician

Digestive symptoms deserve a medical workup. See your physician promptly for heartburn that will not go away, trouble swallowing, blood in your stool, unexplained weight loss, repeated vomiting, or a change in bowel habits that lasts more than a few weeks.

Food, Movement and the Blue Zones

People in the Blue Zones, such as Okinawa, Sardinia and Nicoya, tend to eat mostly plants, beans and whole grains and walk throughout the day. Our functional medicine service, which is call to schedule, can talk through nutrition alongside your physician's care.

Dealing with mid-back or neck pain? Schedule a consultation today!