Constipation is uncomfortable, frustrating, and for many families a problem that keeps coming back no matter what changes at the dinner table. Our doctors have helped patients of all ages, from infants to adults, find lasting relief by looking at a connection most people never expect: the nerves that run from your spine to your bowel.
The muscles that push waste through your intestine are controlled by nerve cells that take their signal from your spinal cord. When there is interference along that pathway, digestion can slow down and stools can become hard, infrequent, and difficult to pass, no matter how much fiber or water you add to your day.
How Constipation Shows Up
Constipation looks different at every age. Infants may strain, cry, or go days between bowel movements. Older kids often describe stomachaches they cannot pinpoint, or start avoiding the bathroom altogether because going has become painful. Adults tend to notice infrequent movements, hard or pellet-like stools, straining, bloating, and a general sense that digestion has slowed to a crawl. For many families, laxatives, stool softeners, and dietary changes help for a while and then stop working, which is usually a sign the root cause was never addressed.
The Nerve Connection
Specialized nerve cells in your intestine, called ganglion cells, are responsible for pushing waste along toward elimination. These nerves connect to the celiac ganglion, a nerve center that also helps run your stomach, liver, gallbladder, spleen, kidneys, and the ascending and transverse portions of your colon.
The celiac ganglion, in turn, connects your brain and spinal cord to the lower thoracic and upper lumbar regions of your back. When a misalignment in this area puts pressure on those nerve roots, the signal telling your intestine to push can get interrupted, and constipation is often the result.
Our Approach
We start with a detailed history, consultation, and INSiGHT scans to see objectively how your nervous system is functioning, with particular attention to the lower thoracic and upper lumbar spine where the nerves feeding your intestine originate.
Using Koren Specific Technique (KST) and Talsky Tonal Chiropractic (TTC), our doctors correct the specific misalignments interfering with that nerve supply through light, nervous system focused contacts, no cracking, popping, or forceful manipulation. This makes the approach appropriate for patients of every age, from newborns to grandparents.
What Parents and Patients Notice
We hear it often: a child who used to dread the bathroom stops fighting it, sometimes within hours of an adjustment. Parents describe kids finally having a comfortable, complete bowel movement after months of hard, painful ones, and staying regular as care continues. Adults tend to notice the same pattern: movements that are more frequent, softer, and easier, along with less bloating and a general sense that digestion has caught up with the rest of them.
Take the First Step
You do not have to keep cycling through laxatives and dietary changes that only work for a while. Our doctors see patients of all ages in Royal Oak, including Saturdays.
Common Questions
What causes constipation from a nervous system perspective?
How quickly will I or my child feel relief?
Is chiropractic care safe for infants and young children with constipation?
Should I keep giving my child the fiber, prune juice, or stool softeners my pediatrician recommended?
What if we have already tried everything and nothing has worked long term?
Related: Constipation in Kids · Digestive & GI Issues · IBS (Irritable Bowel Syndrome) · Colic & Infant Digestive Issues · Acid Reflux & GERD
