Upper Cervical Chiropractic Care Can Help with Colic

What Causes Colic?

Although there is no proven cause of colic, pediatricians and parents have found some common links between babies’ crying and external factors. Colicky babies are often gassy, most likely due to their excessive crying. Parents can help relieve gas in babies by burping them frequently, holding them upright often, and massaging their bellies while baby lies on his back or belly. Sometimes diet is to blame for colic. Breastfed babies may have a sensitivity to something their mom is eating, and formula-fed babies may have trouble digesting particular types of formula. Another common cause of colic is an immature or inefficient nervous system. Babies who were born premature or who had a particularly difficult birth may struggle more with colic than other babies. Thankfully, no matter the cause, a Cape Coral chiropractor can help significantly with relieving colic.

Methods of Dealing with Colic

Traditional methods of dealing with colic include things like holding your baby more frequently, burping them more often, adjusting mom’s diet or baby’s formula, and so on. Another extremely effective way of handling a colicky baby is to take her to the chiropractor. Cape Coral chiropractors Dr. Omar Clark and Dr. Taylor Van Horn at Experience Family Chiropractic are experts in adjusting newborns with the gentlest and softest touch. Their upper cervical adjustments in babies will bring about proper nervous system function and can relieve colic extremely well. Parents often see immediate changes in their baby after bringing them in to Experience Family Chiropractic for an adjustment.

Why Do Newborns Need Chiropractic Adjustments?

Most people view chiropractic as a solution to back or neck pain but nothing more. However, chiropractic care is grounded in the central nervous system, which controls all the functions and systems of the body. When babies are born, either vaginally or via C-section, they are often pulled by their heads and have their necks turned more roughly than is safe. Even if you have a simple and easy natural delivery, baby is still forced through the birth canal and may experience spinal shifting and misalignments of the vertebrae. These misalignments directly impact the nerves in the spinal cord, which in turn impact the nerves in other areas of the body. Upper cervical chiropractic care corrects these misalignments and allows baby’s nervous system to function optimally, oftentimes relieving colic more quickly and more effectively than anything else.

Studies have proven that chiropractic works incredibly well for getting rid of colic in even the most difficult babies. In one study, colicky babies saw a significant reduction in symptoms in just eight days, even when their parents were unaware of the type of treatment they were getting so as to avoid bias. In another study, the long-term effects of chiropractic care on colicky babies were studied. Researchers found that after babies were treated for colic with chiropractic care, even when they were 2 and 3 years old, they were still experiencing benefits. They had fewer behavior problems and better sleep habits than babies who had colic but were not under chiropractic care.

To learn more about upper cervical chiropractic care and the adjusting techniques used by Cape Coral chiropractors Dr. Clark and Dr. Van Horn, contact Experience Family Chiropractic today.

Sources

Miller, J.E., Phillips, H.L. “Long-term Effects of Infant Colic: A Survey Comparison of Chiropractic Treatment and Nontreatment Groups.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2009 Oct; 32(8): 635-8.