If you or someone you love is suffering from Crohn’s disease, you know how unpleasant it can be. A chronic inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn’s can make it difficult to lead a normal life. Even when you are able to work, play and relax the way you want, the disease can still cause painful, uncomfortable symptoms that you certainly can do without.
Fortunately, chiropractic care has been helpful for a number of patients with Crohn’s disease. You may be able to get some much-needed relief for your symptoms through regular chiropractic visits.
What are the Symptoms of Crohn’s Disease?
In most cases, Crohn’s disease causes parts of the small bowel and colon to become inflamed. The inflammation can result in several symptoms that are nothing you want to experience if you do not have to, including regular diarrhea, malnutrition, weight loss, abdominal pain and fatigue.
How is Crohn’s Disease Usually Treated?
It is an unfortunate reality that Crohn’s disease has no current cure. Standard treatments include using prescription medications and sometimes surgery to eliminate symptoms. Of course, these treatments may result in unwanted side effects which can sometimes be equal to or worse than the original symptoms. That is why chiropractors prefer to use treatments that are less invasive, like adjustments and complementary therapies.
In What Ways Can Chiropractic Help with Crohn’s Disease?
There have been a variety of small studies conducted to determine the effects of chiropractic on Crohn’s disease. The results of these studies have been promising. Many have shown that chiropractic adjustments have helped those with Crohn’s to feel better than they did before the adjustments. They experienced a reduction in their symptoms, with some experiencing a significant reduction.
Why Choose Chiropractic for Crohn’s?
The best thing about using chiropractic to treat Crohn’s symptoms is that it is so gentle and free of side effects. You can try chiropractic at very little risk to yourself or danger of experiencing an increase in your symptoms. When you consider how likely side effects are from prescription medications—you only have to watch a commercial for pharmaceuticals to see the long list of possible side effects—and the risks of surgery, it is easy to see why so many Crohn’s sufferers look to chiropractic for relief.
What is it Like to Visit a Chiropractor when You Have Crohn’s Disease?
Chiropractors are experienced in treating a wide variety of diseases and conditions. They also know how important it is to make you feel comfortable with your experience—from start to finish.
The first thing the chiropractor will do is conduct a thorough physical examination. He or she will also ask you a number of questions to find out exactly how you feel, and what your thoughts are on your condition.
After the examination the chiropractor will design a treatment plan that may include a variety of treatments:
- Chiropractic adjustments. Adjustments focus on helping your spine and body achieve optimal alignment. The chiropractor will only apply enough pressure to achieve the desired result.
- Massage therapy. Massage is an excellent complementary therapy that goes hand in hand with chiropractic care. By relaxing your muscles and releasing adhesions, massage can help your adjustments stay in place and lead to improved movement and less pain.
- Spinal decompression. Using a specially designed machine, your chiropractor can increase the space between your vertebrae—space that leads to increased blood flow lowers pain levels and often results in faster healing.
If you would like more information about what chiropractic can do for your Crohn’s, please contact us. We are standing by to answer your questions and help you schedule an appointment.
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