Suffering From Constipation? It May Be Time To Turn To A Chiropractor

4 April 2017
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If you deal with mild constipation from time to time, you can often manage this condition through dietary changes. However, if chronic constipation is a part of your life, you may often feel bloated, tired, and even irritable. While you may wish to seek help from your family doctor, you should also consider visiting a local chiropractic clinic, like Olson Chiropractic Centers. While chiropractic care is often synonymous with treating back and neck injuries, many patients have found that spine adjustments can also help with chronic constipation. Here are some things to know about this issue.

Constipation Varies By Patient

It's important to know that different people have different experiences with moving their bowels. Some people do so multiple times a day, while others do so only a few times a week. This means that what one person might deem to be constipation may be normal bowel habits for another person. In general, though, you should keep this guideline in mind — the widely accepted definition for constipation means that you're moving your bowels fewer than three times per week. You may also notice a variety of assorted symptoms related to constipation. For example, it may be difficult to move your bowels and doing so might even be painful.

Chiropractic Care Helps

When you visit a chiropractor to seek relief for your chronic constipation, he or she will often concentrate on your lower spine. When your lower back is out of its proper alignment, your discs may be putting pressure on the nearby nerves that help to control your digestive system. When these nerves are being affected in this manner, your healthy bowel function may be compromised. By adjusting this part of your body, the chiropractor will be able to alleviate pressure on these nerves with the goal of making your bowel function regular again.

You'll Get Lifestyle Suggestions

Chiropractors believe that their patients should take an active role in staying healthy, so don't expect your chiropractor to simply treat you and release you. Instead, he or she will talk to you about the factors that could be contributing to your constipation, and make suggestions that you can implement to improve your digestive system. For example, you may learn to add more dietary fiber to each meal, or you may be reminded that staying properly hydrated is integral to healthy bowel functions. The chiropractor may also give you some exercises to do to kick-start a sluggish digestive system.