Every parent knows that the first few weeks and months of a baby’s life can be extremely trying. Exhaustion, feeding troubles, and figuring out your baby’s cries can be overwhelming. But add colic to the normal challenges, and you may just feel a little bit hopeless and even more stressed out.
Colic is defined as inconsolable crying with no obvious cause for an extended period of time. Colic generally begins around 6 weeks of age and ends around 3 months of age, but it can last far longer in some cases. While some amounts of crying are completely normal, colic follows the rules of threes: it involves crying for three or more hours each day, three or more days a week, for three or more weeks.
Symptoms of Colic
Aside from the lengthy bouts of crying, babies with colic may also have additional symptoms that tip you off that it is, in fact, colic. They include the following:
- Intense crying that is similar to screaming, with sounds like they are in pain
- Crying for no apparent reason, rather than with an obvious cause (being hungry, being tired, needing a diaper change, etc.)
- Fascial discoloring while crying, such as pink, flushed skin
- Body tension, including a tightened stomach, stiff arms, clenched fists, arched back, and either pulled up or tensed legs
- Extreme fussiness when they aren’t crying
- Timing that is somewhat predictable, such as most crying bouts occurring in the evening
How Can Chiropractic Help?
Chiropractic care may not be the first thing you think of when you’re desperate for relief from colic, but it is extremely beneficial for infants. Most babies experience a subluxation, or spinal misalignment, during the birthing process, regardless of how gentle it may have been. This simply means that one or more vertebra is shifted, twisted, or slightly out of place. This may not seem like a big deal, but the vertebrae house the spinal cord and tons of tiny nerves, so one being out of place even the tiniest bit can place pressure on those nerves and cause interruptions in nervous system communication. This can lead to a slew of issues within the body, including digestive trouble, pain, poor range of motion in joints, and yes, even colic.
When Dr. Thomas at Bare Chiropractic adjusts an infant, it is with the gentlest pressure. There is no twisting, cracking, or popping, and it is both safe and natural. Additionally, it’s extremely effective. We have seen babies screaming and crying when they come into the office, and during their adjustment, they will stop crying and relax. While we know that the adjustment is reducing nerve interference and helping their bodies function more optimally, it’s amazing to see how the babies react accordingly and often immediately.
In addition to helping with colic, pediatric chiropractic for infants and children can help with a number of other issues and concerns. Babies with nursing troubles, abnormal head shape, constipation, immune struggles, sleep challenges, and more can be helped with chiropractic care. Children dealing with bedwetting, ear infections, scoliosis, behavioral issues, sleep disturbances, digestive troubles, and more can also experience the great benefits of chiropractic. To learn more about pediatric chiropractic and how Dr. Thomas at Bare Chiropractic in Billings can help you and your family, contact us today and schedule a consultation.
Sources
Miller, J.E., Phillips, H.L. “Long-term Effects of Infant Colic: A Survey Comparison of Chiropractic Treatment and Nontreatment Groups.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2009 Oct; 32(8): 635-8. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19836599.
Miller, J.E., Newell, D., Bolton, J.E. “Efficacy of Chiropractic Manual Therapy on Infant Colic: A Pragmatic Single-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2012 Oct; 35(8): 600-607. https://www.jmptonline.org/article/S0161-4754(12)00161-3/abstract?code=ymmt-site.
