Constipation

IN TOUCH™ Newsletter Vol. 11, No. 3 March 2007

The January, 2007 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics highlights a case study involving an 8 year old boy who responded very well to chiropractic care after suffering from chronic constipation since birth.

When his mother first brought him to the chiropractor, he was only having a very painful bowel movement every 1-2 weeks. His doctors were never able to diagnose a cause for the problem and had treated him with laxatives, lots of fluid and fiber, none of which worked.

His chiropractor examined him and found out his sacrum, the large triangular bone at the bottom of the spine, was subluxated (out of its normal position). Adjustments were given and the results were almost immediate. His mother reported that he had a bowel movement that first day and then another one two days later. She was excited and said this had never happened before.

Care continued for another four weeks and he continued to improve to the point he was experiencing completely normal bowel function. Indeed, a follow up phone call 13 years later found he was still regular.

Previous research has indicated that 3% of kids’ visits to their family doctors and 30% of those to pediatric gastroenterologists are for chronic constipation. The usual treatments, which failed in this case, normally fail in up to half of the kids treated.