Digestive disorders such as gas, diarrhea and bloating are effecting more Americans than ever before.
Learn the reason and how seeing a chiropractor can help.
How Bad Is It?
– According to a new survey by Fox News Health, 74 percent of Americans are living with digestive symptoms like diarrhea, gas, bloating and abdominal pain. What many people may not know is that these digestive symptoms could indicate a more serious condition.
– It is estimated that 74% of all Americans live with GI discomfort.
-There is more than $28 million spent annually on over the counter digestion medicines.
What are The Most Common Digestive Disorders?
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease (GERD)- Gallstones
- Celiac Disease
- Crohn’s Disease
- Ulcerative Colitis
- Irritable Bowel Syndrome
- Hemorrhoids
- Diverticulitis
Your Digestion System
Your digestion system, or commonly known as GI tract, is the system that takes food and drink and breaks it down into small components or nutrients. Once the food and drink is broken down the body can then take all the good nutrients and get rid of the waste products or toxins.
Certain foods require different combinations of digestive enzymes to break them down as well as proper speeds to move through the GI tract effectively. Each part of the GI tract has a very specialized function in the process.
While there are many parts to the digestive system they are all under direct control of the nervous system.
The nervous system controls digestive function from several different regions.
The vagus nerve which courses out of the brain stem and runs near the atlas bone innervates all the major organs of digestion and functions to stimulate the digestive process.
Other major areas controlling the pace of digestion include the sympathetic nerves coming out of the thoracic & lumbar regions and the sacral parasympathetic nerve fibers.
Spinal misalignment in any of these regions can lead to neurological compromise and altered digestive function.
When spinal misalignments are left for a period of time not only can it affect the nerves traveling to the digestive tract but it can also activate the sympathetic nervous system. This is the body’s gas pedal and is the “fight” or “flight” mechanism.
While the sympathetic nervous system is activated the body does not prioritize digestion and we lose the ability to properly digest food.
Chiropractic Care for Digestive Health
Chiropractic care in our office starts with the utilization of state-of-the-art technology that helps us pinpoint the root cause of issues.
We can measure how well your nervous system is functioning as a whole, whether we are stuck in that “fight” or “flight” mode and how the nerves feeding your digestive tract are functioning. We then use a very specific and gentle adjustment to relieve the pressure on those nerves.
Not only can those nerves regulate your body at a higher capacity but your body can also relax and switch into the parasympathetic mode which prioritizes digestion. With time and repetition, we can allow the body to heal without the need for medications or surgeries.
The focus is always on how can we allow the nervous system and body to function at a higher level for long term health.
Blessings,
Dr. Aaron Cain