Improvement in Digestive Health with Chiropractic

The Asian-Pacific Chiropractic Journal published the results of a case study in their second quarter 2024 issue documenting the resolution of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) under chiropractic care. According to the U.S. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, "Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a group of symptoms that occur together, including repeated pain in your abdomen and changes in your bowel movements, which may be diarrhea, constipation, or both. With IBS, you have these symptoms without any visible signs of damage or disease in your digestive tract."

In this case, a 24-year-old engineer presented himself for a chiropractic evaluation. The man was suffering with stomach pain and diarrhea which he attributed to IBS. He reported suffering with these issues for about one year prior to seeking a chiropractor. This was his first visit to a chiropractor.

The man's history revealed that he engaged in a high-level of elite physical activity and exercise. He reported that his symptoms occurred daily, usually in the morning. The problems seemed to be made worse after he engaged in intense gym training sessions. Although he consulted both general practitioners and gastroenterologists, he was not given any formal diagnosis for his problems.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included checking spinal ranges of motion, a self-assessment survey, and spinal x-rays. The x-rays showed that the man had a reversal of the normal forward neck curvature and a loss of the backward midback curve. There were also areas of Degenerative Disc Disease present in the man's spine.

From the information obtained in the examination and x-rays, it was determined that the man had multiple areas of subluxations present in his spine. With this information, specific chiropractic adjustments were started. The chiropractic corrective care plan included three visits per week for four weeks, followed by two visits per week for six weeks.

A review conducted at four weeks into the man's care showed that he had already seen a 70% improvement in his symptoms. He reported that his IBS had reduced from daily episodes to only once or twice in a two-week period. As his care continued, the man continued to see improvements. By the completion of his initial chiropractic corrective care plan, he was no longer having any symptoms of IBS at all. The man elected to continue chiropractic on a wellness basis. At a follow-up six years later, the man was still symptom free and was no longer having any IBS issues.

The authors of this commented on the success of this case by saying, "Given the patient was an elite athlete, and a very fit and otherwise healthy man in his twenties, the impact of this very sensitive personal health problem was significant. He reported that traditional health practitioners were unable to assist in managing or reducing symptoms, but without changing any other aspects of his care, he was able to achieve excellent results from Chiropractic care."