Many digestive problems caused by chiropractic alignment affect chewing and swallowing functions.
Just as a chiropractor may alleviate digestive problems, such as constipation, acid reflux or indigestion, one wrong move may exacerbate these problems or even cause digestive problems that didn't exist in the first place.
Chewing and Swallowing
Damaged muscles around the esophogus could prevent the ability to chew and swallow food.
Even a routine adjustment can lead to trouble chewing and swallowing. An over-rotated neck can cause muscles in the front of the patient's neck to become tight and inflamed, putting direct pressure on the esophagus leading to a restricted passage for food to travel through.
Stomach Acids
Nerves regulate the amount of digestive juices released into the stomach and intestine. These nerves lie in the spinal column, along with many other nerves chiropractors regularly work on. A misstep could result in sluggish digestion or chronic acid reflux.
Bowel Movements
Patients being treated by a chiropractor for lower back pain are at risk of damaging their intestinal tract or bowels, resulting in either constipation or diarrhea.
Tags: digestive problems, acid reflux, chewing swallowing