Chiropractic and Colic

If you have a colicky baby and you are at your wits’ end trying to calm your infant’s crying, you may want to investigate taking your baby to a chiropractor.A 1989 study looked at 316 infants suffering from colic and averaging 5.2 hours of crying per day. The three-month study involved 73 chiropractors in 50 clinics. The infants’ mothers kept a diary of the babies’ symptoms, intensity and length of the colicky crying as well as how comfortable the infants seemed. Within 14 days of chiropractic care (usually three visits), 94 percent of the children showed a satisfactory response. After four weeks, the improvements were maintained. More than half of the infants had undergone prior unsuccessful treatment, usually drug therapy.What’s the relationship between chiropractic treatment and colic? Consider the trauma of the birth process. The stretching and compressing of the body as it emerges into the world can force the neck and back vertebrae out of alignment. Nerve impulses from the brain flow down the spinal cord and out to all of our organs and muscles, controlling their functions. But a misaligned spine can interfere with the nerves’ ability to communicate with the rest of the body, which means your body can’t work at peak efficiency.Chiropractic adjustments for babies are gentle – the pressure is no greater than the pressure you might use to check a tomato for ripeness. In the 10-plus years I’ve been practicing, the number of babies I work on has increased significantly. I’ve worked on babies as young as a few days old to those who are moving into their toddler years. I’ve seen firsthand how chiropractic adjustments can benefit babies in many areas.If you are still a little uncomfortable about bringing your baby in for an adjustments, stop by for a visit first. If you make an appointment, I’ll be glad to make the time to sit down with you and discuss how chiropractic can benefit your baby (and ultimately you).