HealingWell
Search Close Search
☰

Strange ? possibly, re: chiropractors and colons.....

Support Forums
>
Irritable Bowel Syndrome
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply
❬ ❬ Previous Thread |Next Thread ❭ ❭
Posted 11/13/2008 12:18 PM (GMT 0)
Can having an adjustment from a chiropractor shift your intestines around?

I know that sounds like such an odd question but I need to know. As many of you know I'm a rectal cancer survivor (9 years ago), I've had almost all of my sigmoid, 15 inches of my colon, gall bladder - all removed. I had a temporary colostomy but that was reversed in 1999. I am now left with multiple bm's every day but manage quite well with a low residue diet, Colace, small meals, etc.

I hurt my back a year ago and it's never been right since. I did it again 2 days ago and was in awful pain.

There's a local, well respected and highly rated chiropractor. I saw him last night. His exam was very, very thorough, he took 2 x-rays before his adjustment (which didn't hurt, just felt odd).

I've had a lot of gas since. But thank goodness it's not smelly (not the awful type that could peel paint off walls smell!). Just a constant, silent release. I never have gas last like this!

Now I am remembering back to articles I've read about colon resections. My first surgery was 5 hours long. My surgeons probably took all of my intestines out and laid them on my abdomen, to do my resection, etc. more efficiently. A nurse confirmed this too. Saying I'd never want to look at a surgical video! Yikes, no, I'd like to limit my nightmares!

My main question is I know hip to hip, navel to my rectum, I know I am re-created, I am not how I was when born. My gosh, do I ever know that!

Could seeing a chiropractor make things worse for me? I have another appt. next week and before I go further with a few more treatments, I need to ask you all this question! MY EXPERTS! Take a bow now.....

Thanks so much everyone! Am I freaking out a bit here - well, yes and no. I do wonder what my colon surgeon would say - why did you do this Mary? LOL Because I was in terrible pain.

BTW, the back pain is much, much less, he gave me excellent stretching exercises to do.

He really seemed great at what he does. I just don't want to do something that will shift my already on thin ice insides around more!

Mary/marsky

Post Edited (Marsky) : 11/13/2008 5:25:54 AM (GMT-7)

Posted 11/13/2008 2:50 PM (GMT 0)
Marsky, I know someone who said that her chiropractor cured her IBS. She said that she was going 16 times a day and with weekly visits her problems were gone within six months. I don't think it shifts your guts around per se but since yours have been rearranged it may be that they are moving around a bit while he's doing his thing. I mean is this gas painful? And is it worth having your back all nice and pain free even though your passing gas that causes your husband to give you the stink eye? Sorry couldn't resist the pun.

I'm heading to one myself soon. I have an old lower back injury that is messing with the nerves in my right hip and leg. I mean some of what my old coworker said does make some sense. I mean they don't know what causes IBS. So if yours is caused by nerve problem( I know I've never been tested for something like that and I doubt that it even crosses a doc's mind when someone like us comes in) I can see being helped by seeing a chiropractor. And if not my back and hip should be feeling better.
Posted 11/13/2008 7:02 PM (GMT 0)
Thanks so much for your reply Lady Frog and for the smile your post gave me, LOL @ stink eye.

No this gas is silent and it is subsiding. Odorless.

My first visit made me wonder if things shifted inside. He did say it's all connected. So if I could reduce my daily bm count, wow, that would be awesome to say the least.

I guess I just didn't want to go further with this treatment if it was going to make things worse for me. You see I can control gas and bm's by timing when I eat. For example I had gas at work today but kept walking. Hoping no one would know!

I've heard of patients losing their bowels, that didn't happen to me. This was a post-appt. observation more than anything.

My back is much better today.

It's so much fun getting older - not!

Good luck with your appt too.
Posted 11/21/2008 12:48 AM (GMT 0)
If the gas is not bothersome, and there have been no other unpleasant side effects, I would not worry. There were times when I was in the middle of a gall bladder attack when, oh man, how I would have loved to have had a nice big fart! Gas is better out than in. I'd say that suddenly being able to get rid of gas is good side effect to your adjustment!

There are actually yoga classes now specifically for people with bowel and gas problems that help them stretch so they can let out the gas (yes, right there in class!).
Posted 11/21/2008 7:54 PM (GMT 0)
I don't know what I was worried about. I'm okay now. I was expecting to see this chiropractor once or twice a month at the most but he recommends bi-weekly visits for 4 weeks. I simply cannot afford that right now. I quickly added up my co-pays, $240 and politely declined. I see him in 2 weeks. Twice a month I can swing but not 8 times a month! I am paying off my August colonoscopy and my oldest daughter suddenly needed a root canal 2 weeks ago. Right now we are being hit with so many big medical or dental bills. At least my back is much better.

He gave me excellent stretching exercises to do each day. And they are greatly helping. With times so dire, budget and economy wise, I think that's about all I'll do for now and a few more appts. with him.

I just worried I'd be doing more damage to my already touchy stomach, colon area. I joke hip to hip, navel to rectum, I am reconstructed. Forever changed. I even have a uterine prolapse they're watching too. Boy, if we ever win the lotto or something, I'm going in for Lasex and more surgery. Well, maybe....he he. Unless a doctor tells me I have cancer again, I am avoiding any surgery, like the plague!
✚ New Topic ✚ Reply