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A recent study performed in Denmark compared the effects of
daily doses of the drug dimethicone to chiropractic adjustments
for purposes of treating infantile colic. The study included
50 infants who met the criteria for colic and after 2 weeks
of treatment, researchers concluded, "spinal manipulation has
a positive short-term effect on infantile colic."
Infantile colic is a condition effecting an average of 22.5%
of all newborns. The condition causes uncontrollable crying
in infants from 0-3 months of age, and usually occurs "more
than three hours per day, more than three days a week for
three weeks or more…." Colic can last up to the age of 12
months in some babies.
After being screened for colic, the infants were randomly
divided into 2 groups over a two-week period. One received
the drug dimethicone daily, while the other received spinal
manipulation by a local chiropractor. On average, the second
group received 3.8 adjustments over the two-week period, and
most misalignments occurred in the upper and mid-thoracic
region of the spine.
The infants who received the drug decreased from 3.4 hours
of colic per day to 2.4 hours per day. Infants who received
the chiropractic manipulation treatment started with
approximately 3.9 hours of colic per day that was reduced to
1.2 hours per day. This dramatic decrease in the occurrence
of colic demonstrates the fact that chiropractic care is
effective for more than just back pain, and can be useful
in treating systemic, as well as musculoskeletal conditions.
REFERENCES
Wiberg JMM, Nordsteen J, Nilsson N. The Short-term effect
of spinal manipulation in the Treatment of infantile colic:
A randomized Controlled clinical trial with a blind observer.
Journal of Manipulative Physiologic Therapeutics 1999;
22:517 - 522.
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COLIC AND CHIROPRACTIC CARE