Chiropractic: Can it help ease colic?
by Deb Donovan and Bob VanMetter

Almost all infants develop periods of fussiness. This is often referred to as colic. It has been defined as periods of irritability, fussiness and inconsolable crying in a healthy baby (that lasts for at least three hours a day, at least three days a week). But colic is actually a default diagnosis.

Pain from sources other than the gastrointestinal tract can be improperly diagnosed as colic. If a baby is crying inconsolably, it is very difficult to know if he is actually suffering from a digestive disturbance. Since many subluxations in infants are in the upper cervical area, there is a strong possibility, especially when there has been a history of birth trauma, that these babies are suffering from head and neck pain due to spinal subluxations in this area.

In a study looking at babies receiving chiropractic care for colic, 94 percent of parents saw improvement in their baby's behavior within two weeks of initiation of care. A little over half of these babies had already been unsuccessfully treated, usually by pharmacological means (Klougart et al., 1989). Another study found 91 percent of babies experienced a reduction in colicky behavior following as little as two chiropractic adjustments (Nilsson, 1985). References:

· Killinger LZ; Azad, A. Chiropractic care of infantile colic: A case study J Clin Chiro Peds 1998; 3(1) :203-6 / Mantis ID: 39686

· Klougart N, Nilsson N, Jacobsen J, Infantile colic treated by chiropractors: a prospective study of 316 cases. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1989; 12(4):281-8 / Medline ID: 89361049

· Nilsson N; Infant Colic And Chiropractic. Eur J Chiropr 1985; 33(4): 264-265 / Mantis ID: 12365

· Pluhar GR; Schobert PD; Vertebral subluxation and colic: A case study. J Chiro Research and Clin Invest 1991; 7(3):75-6 / Mantis ID: 13429

· Talmage DM; Resnick D. Infantile colic: Identification and management. Top Clin Chiropr. 1997; 4(4): 25-9 / Mantis ID: 37795

· Van Loon M. Colic with projectile vomiting: A case study J Clin Chiro Peds 1998; 3(1) :207-10 / Mantis ID: 39687

· Wiberg JM, Nordsteen J, Nilsson N. The short-term effect of spinal manipulation in the treatment of infantile colic: a randomized controlled clinical trial with a blinded observer. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1999;22(8):517-22 / UI: 20008926