The overwhelming majority of people will experience digestive difficulties from time to time—whether it’s simple indigestion, heartburn, nausea with meals, the sensation that nothing is moving through, food feeling stuck, diarrhea, constipation, or something else entirely.
What you may not realize is that you’re likely not Tums-deficient. Instead, your digestive issues could be rooted in your spine.
How can this be?
Our nervous system controls and coordinates all functions of the human body. Specifically, the autonomic nervous system has a direct influence on organ function. When there are misalignments in the spinal column, it can interfere with a nerve’s ability to send messages to the organs or tissues it supplies. The result? Organ dysfunction.
A perfect example of this is heartburn or acid reflux. 
The stomach has two circular muscles, one at the top and one at the bottom. The top muscle is called the lower esophageal sphincter (LES). It opens when we swallow food or liquids and should close once the contents enter the stomach. The bottom muscle is called the pyloric sphincter (PS). It opens when digested food leaves the stomach and enters the first part of the small intestine, the duodenum.
The LES receives its nerve supply from two sources:
- The vagus nerve (cranial nerve X), which exits the base of the skull and runs directly in front of the first cervical vertebra (the atlas). This nerve causes the LES to relax so food can pass into the stomach—a parasympathetic action.
- The T6–T9 spinal cord segments, which influence the celiac plexus, responsible for closing the LES—a sympathetic function.
When vertebrae become misaligned—called a subluxation—this can directly affect the nervous system’s ability to control and coordinate muscle function, including that of the LES and PS.
If the LES doesn’t close properly, stomach acid can escape into the esophagus, causing acid reflux or heartburn.
Of course, not all reflux is caused by spinal misalignment. Other contributing factors—such as pathogens like H. pylori—can also play a role. However, it’s important to evaluate spinal health as a possible contributor, and in some cases, the root cause. This may help avoid unnecessary medications that often come with unwanted side effects.
Let us help you!
This is just one example of how your spine can play a direct role in digestive health—and there are many more to explore. You can dig deeper on the PubMed website.
Let us help you with your digestive difficulties and much more. See all of the services we offer at Mountain Valley Chiropractic.
Dr. Joe Heinecke, DC
Mountain Valley Chiropractic
(970) 314-9244
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