Colic is labeled as an infant that cries for hours at a time with no known reason. It is believed to possibly be digestive in origin but there has been no definitive causes discovered. It can be very difficult for parents and the children themselves to deal with. Because there is no definitive diagnosis of the cause many parents will try alternative therapies. Chiropractic Adjustments have already been shown to be effective in reducing crying times in infants diagnosed with colic. However there were a few potential issues with previous studies such as the parents were aware whether their child was in the adjusted or not adjusted group so that may have influenced their perception of how much their child was crying. This study addressed those issues by setting up three groups. One group was infants that were adjusted and the parents knew it, one group was adjusted and the parents did not know, and the last was not adjusted and the parents did not know.

The results of the study showed that both groups that were adjusted saw significant decreases in how long and how often their child was crying compared to the group that had not been adjusted. The decreases in amount of crying dropped off quickly in both adjustment groups by about the second or third day and the study was continued for up to 10 days. A few of the children did so well that they were released before the 10 days were up. The results were so good that after the study all of the parents in the group that did not get adjusted were offered free care at the clinic! This study also helps validate the results of the previous studies that showed improvement in infants with colic after getting adjusted but the parents knew the child was adjusted.

One explanation for such a good result with Chiropractic Adjustments can be explained if we assume colic is in fact digestive in nature. If a child has a Subluxation, or misalignment, in their spine it will affect the nerve flow from the brain to the digestive system. This reduction in nerve energy will affect how the digestive system functions causing gas build up or minor blockages which will be painful to the child. Chiropractic Adjustments allow the nervous system to function properly. There are as many nerve cells in our digestive system as there are in our brain. Allowing uninterrupted flow of the nerve energy from our brain to our digestive tract will ensure that it is working properly.  It also explains why Chiropractic Adjustments will help even if the cause of colic is found to not be related to digestion. A properly functioning nervous system means a properly functioning body; it’s as simple as that!

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics Oct. 2012

Dr Scott Szela