Could Your Neck Pain Be Causing Your IBS? The Gut-Spine Connection Every Mum Should Know
Sarah walked into my Palmwoods clinic last month complaining of persistent neck tension and headaches. Like many of the busy mums I treat, she was juggling work, family, and that constant feeling of being "switched on" all the time. But as we talked during her initial consultation, another pattern emerged—one I see regularly in my practice.
"Oh, and I've been having terrible reflux lately," she mentioned almost as an afterthought. "Plus my stomach's been playing up—bloating, cramping, you know how it is. My GP says it's just stress and IBS, but nothing seems to help."
Sarah's story isn't unique. In fact, many of the stressed mums who come to see me at Vitalia Health Chiropractic present with both musculoskeletal complaints AND digestive issues. What many people don't realise is that these seemingly separate problems are often intimately connected through your nervous system.
The Gut-Spine Connection: More Than Just Coincidence
As a chiropractor with a Master's in Women's Health Medicine, I've spent years studying how different body systems interact. The relationship between your spine, nervous system, and digestive health is one of the most fascinating—and clinically significant—connections I encounter daily.
Your digestive system is controlled by the autonomic nervous system, which includes the famous vagus nerve. This crucial nerve pathway starts in your brainstem, travels down through your neck (right where Sarah was experiencing tension), passes through your diaphragm, and connects to your stomach, intestines, and other digestive organs.
When your spine is misaligned, particularly in the upper cervical region and thoracic area, it can interfere with proper nervous system function. Add chronic stress to the equation—something I see in virtually every overwhelmed mum who walks through my door—and you've got a perfect storm for both spinal tension and digestive dysfunction.
What I See in My Palmwoods Practice: The Clinical Patterns
After treating families across the Sunshine Coast for over 15 years, I've noticed consistent patterns in patients with both spinal and digestive complaints:
The Stressed Mum Pattern:
Tight scalene muscles and restricted breathing
Forward head posture from computer work and phone use
Diaphragm tension affecting vagus nerve function
Chronic "fight or flight" nervous system activation
IBS symptoms, reflux, and bloating alongside neck pain and headaches
The Physical Manifestations:
Shallow breathing patterns that worsen both anxiety and digestive function
Thoracic spine restrictions affecting nerve supply to digestive organs
Pelvic floor dysfunction contributing to bowel irregularities
Poor posture creating mechanical stress on the diaphragm
What's particularly interesting is how these patients respond to treatment. When we address the spinal restrictions and nervous system dysfunction, their digestive symptoms often improve alongside their musculoskeletal complaints.
The Science Behind the Connection
The vagus nerve is your body's main "rest and digest" pathway. When it's functioning optimally, it:
Stimulates digestive enzyme production
Promotes proper gut motility
Reduces inflammation in the digestive tract
Helps regulate the gut microbiome
However, when spinal misalignments or chronic stress interfere with vagus nerve function, you might experience:
Reduced stomach acid production leading to reflux
Slower gut motility causing bloating and constipation
Increased intestinal permeability ("leaky gut")
Dysregulated stress hormones affecting digestion
This is why addressing digestive issues often requires more than just dietary changes or medications—it requires looking at the whole person, including their spinal health and nervous system function.
When you're always caring for everyone else, who's caring for you? Let's change that together.
My Approach to Treating Gut-Health Issues Through Chiropractic Care
At Vitalia Health Chiropractic, I use a comprehensive approach that addresses both the structural and functional aspects of the gut-spine connection:
1. Thorough Assessment I assess posture, breathing patterns, spinal alignment, and nervous system function. I also look at lifestyle factors like stress levels, sleep quality, and daily habits that might be contributing to both spinal and digestive dysfunction.
2. Gentle Spinal Adjustments Using techniques like manual diversified adjusting, drop piece, and soft tissue work, I focus on restoring proper alignment and movement to areas that directly impact nervous system function—particularly the upper cervical spine and thoracic region.
3. Diaphragm and Visceral Work I incorporate specific techniques to release diaphragm tension and improve breathing patterns. This directly impacts vagus nerve function and can significantly improve digestive symptoms.
4. Nervous System Regulation Through gentle chiropractic care, we work to shift your nervous system out of chronic "fight or flight" mode and into the "rest and digest" state where healing can occur.
5. Holistic Support When appropriate, I might recommend Hair Tissue Mineral Analysis (HTMA) to identify nutritional imbalances that could be contributing to both stress and digestive dysfunction. This comprehensive approach ensures we're addressing all contributing factors.
Real Results: What Patients Experience
Sarah's case is a perfect example of how this approach works. After six weeks of gentle chiropractic care focused on her upper cervical spine and diaphragm function, not only did her headaches and neck tension improve, but her reflux virtually disappeared and her digestive symptoms significantly reduced.
"I never would have thought my neck problems were connected to my stomach issues," she told me at her recent appointment. "But it makes so much sense now. I feel like my whole body is working better."
This isn't unusual. Many of my patients report improvements in:
Reduced bloating and abdominal discomfort
Better bowel regularity
Decreased reflux symptoms
Improved sleep quality
Reduced overall stress and anxiety
Better energy levels throughout the day
When to Consider Chiropractic Care for Digestive Issues
If you're experiencing digestive problems alongside any of these symptoms, there might be a spinal connection worth exploring:
Neck pain or tension
Headaches
Upper back pain or stiffness
Shallow breathing patterns
Chronic stress or feeling "wired but tired"
Poor posture from desk work or device use
This is particularly relevant for busy mums who are juggling multiple responsibilities and experiencing both physical tension and digestive complaints.
The Sunshine Coast Advantage: Comprehensive Care Close to Home
Here in Palmwoods, I'm privileged to offer this integrated approach to health. My combination of chiropractic expertise, women's health specialisation, and understanding of the gut-spine connection means you don't have to see multiple practitioners to address these interconnected issues, and I get to do the things that I love - helping women feel and function better!
Whether you're in Palmwoods, Nambour, Woombye, Montville, or surrounding areas, you have access to care that looks at your body as a connected system rather than treating symptoms in isolation.
Taking the Next Step
If you're dealing with digestive issues that haven't responded well to conventional treatment, or if you're experiencing both spinal complaints and gut problems, it might be time to explore the connection.
During your initial consultation, we'll thoroughly assess your spinal health, nervous system function, and how these might be contributing to your digestive symptoms. From there, we can develop a personalised treatment plan that addresses your body's unique needs.
Your digestive health and spinal health are more connected than you might think. Sometimes, the key to feeling better lies in understanding and treating these connections rather than addressing symptoms in isolation.
Ready to explore how chiropractic care might help your digestive issues?
Book your comprehensive assessment today by calling 07 5221 5020 or visiting us at Shop 1, 2 Little Main Street, Palmwoods. Let's work together to uncover the root causes of your symptoms and help your whole body function better.
Dr Laura Brooks is a chiropractor with over 15 years of experience in wellness care and holds a Master's in Women's Health Medicine from UNSW. She specialises in gentle, family-focused chiropractic care with particular expertise in the connections between spinal health, nervous system function, and overall wellness.
