By Dr. Niki Weber, D.C.

We used to think that back pain was something that only affected adults. We are seeing a large increase in children with back pain. Why is this?

Poor posture, trauma, stress, misalignment’s of the vertebrae, poor nutrition, constipation, and contact sports, not to mention the backpacks that they are carrying around every day are major contributing factors. In turn, the back pain is causing depression, as well as other mental problems.

The good news is: Chiropractic can help! The brain and spinal cord (AKA the central nervous system) communicate with the rest of the body through a network of nerves that come out of the spine. When there are misalignments of the vertebrae, it interferes with that communication. Think of it like water pipes in your house. The water comes into the house through one pipe. It then is sent to the other parts of the house through a network of smaller pipes. If the pipe to your kitchen sink gets clogged, there is going to be no water going to that sink. The same is true of the nervous system. When there is a misalignment of the vertebrae, it is the same as having a clog in your pipes. The nerves coming from the spinal cord not only control the muscles and ligaments, they also control the heart, lungs, and other major organs of the body. So not only are these small misalignment’s causing pain, they are also interfering with the function of the organs necessary to keep our bodies alive.

Chiropractors induce movement into the vertebrae, which in turn restores the communication of the brain to the rest of the body. When the nervous system is communicating effectively, the rest of the body is able to do what it needs to do to sustain life. The organs are able to function at optimal levels, which in turn allows the immune system to operate at its optimum level, thus allowing a child to not be sick as often.

Chiropractic is not only about making the pain go away, it is also about preventing the pain from coming in the first place. It also is about preventing degeneration, which happens when the vertebrae are not able to take the load that they are designed for, due to misalignment’s and decreased nutrition. Degeneration is not just being diagnosed in adults, it is also being diagnosed in children, and even in some cases infants.

Talk to your Chiropractic Doctor today about how your child can be helped!