Could Visiting a Chiropractor Help with Digestive Pain?

When you have a dental problem, you see the dentist. When you have an issue with your eyes, you see an optometrist. When you have digestive distress, you may not initially think of seeing your chiropractor; however, in some cases, chiropractic care could help!

Keep reading to learn more about what chiropractors do, how various systems in the body affect each other, and how this provider can give you some relief.

What Does a Chiropractor Do?

A chiropractor is a specialist in the nervous and musculoskeletal systems. Namely, this provider works with the spine and joints to correct neck, back, joint, and nerve pain through non-invasive treatments. These treatments usually consist of restoring correct alignment, removing unnecessary pressure from nerves and allowing your body to move and perform as it should.

How Do the Nervous and Musculoskeletal Systems Affect Digestion?

At first glance, it may seem like the areas a chiropractor specializes in are completely separate from the digestive system. How can spinal alignment be related to stomach pain? Upon further consideration, you’ll see how these systems interact.

Basically, every part of your body has nerves, manifesting problems through pain. Simply put, when you have digestive issues, you feel discomfort. But you need to keep in mind that each system’s nerves are connected to the largest—the spinal nerve—and, unfortunately, pain can result from signals traveling either direction. In other words, an alignment issue with the vertebrae in the thoracic and lumbar portion of the spine can manifest as digestive pain.

If you have a subluxation, which occurs when a vertebra is slightly dislocated and pressing on the spinal nerve, that connection in the same area could also be triggered, giving the false signal that something is wrong with your digestive system when the real problem lies in spinal alignment.

How Can Chiropractic Care Help with Digestion?

If you’ve tried eating a healthy diet and still struggle with digestive issues and discomfort, you should consider visiting a chiropractor to make sure your spine is properly aligned. Taking pressure off certain nerves through an adjustment could provide the relief you need to function and feel better without the use of medications or more invasive measures.

Although your chiropractor may not be the first provider you think of as a resource to help with digestive pain, they can offer effective therapy if you’ve already tried changing your diet with no improvement. An adjustment won’t make the problem any worse, so it’s worth a try for relief!

About the Author

Dr. Zinovy Chukhman, who is usually called Dr. Z by his patients, has been a practicing chiropractor for about 20 years. Having completed all four parts of certification with the National Board of Chiropractic Examiners, he treats patients who have experienced injuries from work accidents, car accidents, and other causes. He encourages patients to maintain healthy lifestyles, including nutritious diet, to help patients have less pain and better function. If you would like to schedule an appointment with Dr. Z, reach out to AlignRight Injury & Rehab online or call 972-907-2800.