Constipation

Constipation is defined as having a bowel movement fewer than three times per week. With constipation stools are usually hard, dry, small in size, and difficult to eliminate. Some people who are constipated find it painful to have a bowel movement and often experience straining, bloating, and the sensation of a full bowel.

Constipation is a symptom, not a disease. Almost everyone experiences constipation at some point in their life. The most common causes are poor diet, lack of exercise and poor nerve supply. Most constipation is temporary and not serious and lifestyle changes will help relieve symptoms and help prevent them from recurring. These changes may include adding high-fiber foods to the diet, drinking enough water and other liquids, such as fruit and vegetable juices and clear soups, so as not to become dehydrated and engaging in daily exercise. When this fails to offer relief, the problem may be related to the nerve system. Gentle chiropractic adjustments, particularly to the lower spine, can help relieve constipation in many individuals including children. 

How can a chiropractor help with constipation?  Muscles in the colon push stool to the anus, where the stool leaves the body. Special nerves in the colon make the muscles push. These nerve originate in the mid and low back. These nerves also control the stomach, liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidney and small intestine. Pressure on these nerves, caused by misalignment of the vertebrae in this area, may interfere with the normal bowel function as well as other organs of the digestive system.

Only your chiropractor can determine if the cause of your child's constipation is due to a poorly functioning nervous system.  The chiropractors at West Coast Chiropractic Carlsbad specialize in the treatment of constipation and have had unparalleled success when it comes to normalizing bowel function in children from all around Carlsbad, Oceanside, Vista and North County San Diego.