About 10-15% of Americans have Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS). Characterized by abdominal cramping, bloating, diarrhea, gas, and constipation, eating certain foods can lead to less-than-desirable circumstances for someone with IBS. In fact, sometimes, you might not even know what food actually caused these symptoms, making this condition that much more inconvenient and uncomfortable.
However, chiropractic care is proven to help many IBS sufferers. So, let’s take a closer look at IBS and how chiropractic care can help. What can you do to alleviate these unwanted symptoms?
What is Irritable Bowel Syndrome?
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) is technically a group of digestive symptoms that cause excessive gas and other discomforts. Experts believe that these symptoms arise due to interferences in the brain-gut connection. Generally, this creates issues with muscle contraction in the gastrointestinal tract, as well as hypersensitivity of the nerves located within the gastrointestinal tract.
Treatment for IBS
There are a variety of different treatments available for IBS. In some circumstances, simply changing your diet can help alleviate IBS symptoms. For others, certain lifestyle changes can help, including:
- Participating in regular exercise
- Consuming smaller meals and snacks
- Avoiding caffeinated beverages and foods
- Decreasing stress
- Including probiotics in your diet
- Limiting or avoiding spicy or deep-fried foods.
When lifestyle changes fail to work, many doctors recommend medication. Usually, these medications focus on minimizing or alleviating certain symptoms, such as cramping, muscle spasms, or constipation.
At the same time, chiropractic care offers an all-natural and non-invasive treatment method that has been proven to help alleviate IBS symptoms. We’ll explore this more in-depth in the section below!
How Chiropractic Care Can Help
Many studies have indicated the effectiveness of chiropractic care when it comes to reducing associated IBS symptoms. So, how does chiropractic care help individuals with IBS? Why should you consider it as part of your IBS treatment protocol?
1. It’s drug-free.
While medications often do as they say, they also frequently come with various side effects. On top of this, most medications are also only a temporary fix. They address the symptoms as opposed to addressing the root cause of the problem. Chiropractic care, on the other hand, offers a drug-free, gentle, and non-invasive approach, without side effects, that can help you overcome IBS.
2. It addresses the root cause.
If the root cause isn’t addressed, IBS can become a life-long struggle. The root cause of IBS often comes down to problems between the brain and gut communication. This is frequently due to spinal misalignments or subluxations. These misalignments, particularly those located at the lumbar vertebrae, interfere with your digestive function. When you attend regular chiropractic visits, these misalignments are corrected, which can help improve your digestive function and your overall health.
3. It promotes optimal neural communication.
Chiropractic care focuses on improving the function of your central nervous system by ensuring the correct alignment of the spine. As such, it limits neural interference with regular function. This allows for smooth and seamless communication between your brain and other parts of your body, including your digestive system. In turn, chiropractic care eliminates dysfunctions that could be contributing to your IBS.
Book Your Chiropractic Appointment Today!
At Awaken Chiropractic, we are dedicated to helping improve the health and wellness of the entire Parker community. If you’re experiencing IBS or joint pain, our team can help you get back to living your life and participating in the activities you enjoy. Contact us today to book your appointment. We’d love to be your local Parker chiropractor, and we can’t wait to meet you.
