How a Chiropractor Can Help You With Irritable Bowel Syndrome - IT WORKS!

Bloating, abdominal cramping, gas, diarrhoea or constipation? You may be suffering from Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS).

If this debilitating condition is making it hard for you to work, attend social functions, or travel, you may finally find relief by undergoing Chiropractic care. Although you may not know what is causing your IBS, seeing a Chiropractor may just be the solution you have been waiting for.

IBS may affect up to 20% of the population at some point in their life. For some the symptoms may be mild, and well for others, life can become quite uncomfortable and stressful. Whether it affects you at work, home or socially, seeing a Chiropractor may allow you to live a more comfortable life, free from pain.

Before we begin to understand how a Chiropractor may be able to help with IBS, let's first look at what IBS is, and some theories of why it may develop.

Irritable Bowel Syndrome is a functional disorder of the large intestines, affecting the nerves and muscles of the bowel. The nerves can sometimes become oversensitive and the muscles may not contract as well as they're supposed to. This can cause abdominal pain and irregular bowel movements. This altered bowel function may affect the way your intestines respond to stimuli (such as certain foods) as well as stress that would not normally bother other people.

Researchers have not yet discovered any specific cause for IBS, but they have been able to find similarities in some of the sufferers:

• 50% of people noticed symptoms of IBS after a major life event - such as the loss of a loved one, change of house or job, etc. This suggests that there may be a possible psychological trigger for IBS.
• 20% of people noticed symptoms after inflammation or infection of the bowels - suggesting infection as the cause.

While IBS does not have a definitive cause, it does have certain triggers. Some of these include:

• Certain medication
• Alcohol and caffeine
• Dairy
• Wheat, rye, barley and chocolate
• Stress
• Eating large meals
• MSG
• Artificial sweeteners

How can a Chiropractor help?

Chiropractors believe that there is a strong relationship between the intestines and the nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and spinal nerves). In order for your bowels to work as best as they can, your nervous system must be able to send information to your intestines without any interference. Since the spine houses the spinal cord (a component of the nervous system), misalignments in the vertebrae (bones) of the spine, may lead to interference of this communication network, and hence lead to irritable bowel. Chiropractors refer to this interference as a subluxation. By correcting these subluxations, the nerves are better able to carry the messages to the bowel to allow for their optimal functioning. This is how a Chiropractor may be able to help people suffering with irritable bowel syndrome.

There have not been any studies that prove Chiropractic to be effective with IBS, but it is becoming an increasingly popular alternative treatment for this ailment. Many Chiropractors report that spinal adjustments have helped their patients better manage their irritable bowel.

Chiropractic care has also been known to help reduce stress - one of the culprits of IBS symptoms. And a good Chiropractor may also be able to propose a suitable food plan, to minimise the symptoms of this stressful condition. While medication masks the pain and symptoms, as you can see, Chiropractors treat the underlying cause of IBS.

Are you sick and tired of putting up with an irritable bowel? Why not consider Chiropractic as a safe, gentle and effective means for managing the pain and discomfort associated with this ailment.