WElcome TO
Explore our blog that focuses on holistic care for any and all ages - pediatric well-being, pre/post-natal health, and adult vitality.
THE BLOG
While seasons are changing, as a parent you may find yourself in a frustrating cycle – your kids are constantly battling colds, coughs, congestion, and other illnesses. You try over-the-counter medications, visit pediatricians, and get prescribed stronger antibiotics, but the cycle continues. What you may not realize is that shutting down symptoms with medications often weakens the body’s resilience long-term.
The key is supporting the body to build up its defenses naturally.
At the core of this “kick the sick” approach is addressing dysfunction in the nervous system. The master communicator that controls all cells, tissues, and organs. Any stress or imbalance in the nervous system can lead to widespread issues such as chronic immune problems, sleep disturbances, digestive troubles, behavioral/cognitive challenges, and more.
The Autonomic Nervous System: The Key to Immune Regulation
Neurologically-Focused Pediatric Chiropractors specialize in locating and correcting sources of stress stuck on the nervous system, what we call subluxation. The autonomic nervous system, which comprises the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches, plays a crucial role in modulating immune function. The sympathetic nervous system, often referred to as the “fight or flight” response, suppresses immune activity during periods of stress or perceived danger. Conversely, the parasympathetic nervous system, known as the “rest and digest” state, promotes immune function and allows the body to heal and repair.
When the body experiences chronic stress or nerve interference, the sympathetic nervous system dominates, leading to a suppressed immune response. This imbalance can leave the body vulnerable to various illnesses and infections as the immune system becomes less effective in identifying and neutralizing potential threats.
Subluxation can disrupt the normal flow of nerve communication, leading to dysfunction in various bodily systems, including the immune system. Stress gets to the neck, shoulders, and upper areas and creates constriction and congestion, which in turn creates inflammation.
Subluxation can result from various factors, such as birth stress, physical stress, emotional stress, and chemical toxins. Subluxation is most commonly initially caused by birth stress and the intense physical/chemical stresses of the modern birth process. If not properly addressed, this subluxation can build up over time, setting the stage for recurring illnesses.
The intense forces and instrumentation used in interventions like:
- C-sections
- Vacuum/forceps deliveries
- Induction/epidural
- Prematurity/NICU
- Cord wrapping
These experiences can significantly injure the vulnerable Vagus Nerve and upper neck region, creating profound subluxation that sets kids up for a host of future problems. Setting the stage for what we call The Perfect Storm.
Additionally, things like severe colic, reflux, constipation, and sleep struggles as a newborn could indicate nerve system imbalances stemming from in-utero constraint or birth stress.
Using our INSiGHT scans, we measure levels of subluxation and associated nerve tension. With analysis and customized care plans, we can work to reduce that neurological interference and restore balance to the nervous system naturally. Without the need for drugs or surgery.
By allowing the body’s master healing system to function optimally, countless conditions can improve, including:
- Stronger immune function
- Better sleep
- Improved digestion/regularity
- Reduced symptoms of ADHD, anxiety, sensory processing issues
- Overcoming developmental delays
Build Up Instead of Shutting Down
Rather than just masking each symptom, chiropractic gets to the root cause. We use the body’s ability to self-heal and adapt to stressors like seasonal changes, growth spurts, poor sleep/diet, and more. These factors can quickly overload a child’s coping ability and trigger illness.
The approach to treat symptoms with medications can ultimately further suppress and dysregulate the immune response. While sometimes necessary for critical situations, overusing antibiotics, steroids, and immune suppressants weakens resilience long-term. Research shows that each course, especially in the first year, increases the risks of chronic allergies, asthma, and more illnesses down the road. We must reserve that direction for last resort and move to drug-free, natural-building, resilience-boosting actions.
So, instead of just shutting it all down at the first sniffle, parents can build their child up through simple steps:
- Prioritize rest and reduce stressors when sick
- Ensure proper nutrition, hydration, and movement
- Integrate natural immune-boosters like vitamin C & D, and zinc
- Use supportive tools like essential oils
- Most importantly, get their nervous system checked!
With a customized chiropractic care plan monitoring and reducing subluxation, many kids avoid the revolving door of sickness. Their bodies can effectively meet seasonal challenges, moving through acute illnesses while building resiliency to prevent bigger problems.
The Benefits Become Far-Reaching
When the nervous system is balanced and functioning without interference, the benefits go far beyond stronger immunity. As we know, the nervous system controls and coordinates every cell, tissue, and organ in the body. By reducing subluxation, chiropractic allows for better-integrated function across all systems.
Parents commonly report improvements in many seemingly unrelated conditions once their child gets on a customized chiropractic care plan. Things like:
- Behavioral Issues: Many children labeled with ADHD, anxiety, or sensory processing disorders show dramatic improvements in focus, calmness, and behavior regulation under chiropractic care. The brain-body connection becomes optimized.
- Digestive Problems: Frequent stomachaches, constipation, diarrhea, and other GI issues often resolve when nerve interference along the spine is reduced. Better communication allows the gut to function properly.
- Bedwetting/Sleep Struggles: The autonomic nervous system controls processes like sleep cycles and bladder function. Restoring nerve tone in these areas can help children overcome bedwetting and achieve higher-quality sleep.
- Asthma/Breathing Issues: With reduced tension on nerves impacting the respiratory diaphragm and airways, many asthmatics can breathe easier and use inhalers/nebulizers less once subluxations are corrected.
The possibilities are endless because neurologically-focused chiropractic care works by unleashing the body’s own innate ability to heal and regulate itself.
No matter the condition, if nervous system dysfunction is contributing, there’s potential for so much improvement.
Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic Care: Restoring Nervous System Function and Immune Balance
For many families, neurologically-focused chiropractic care ends up being the “missing piece” that accelerates their child’s healing journey. When integrated with other natural therapies and lifestyle factors like nutrition, it provides a comprehensive approach to building up a child’s resilience from the inside out.
Rather than covering up symptoms with a barrage of medications, authentic healing can take place. Rather than repeated rounds of inhalers, antibiotics, and over-the-counter meds that weaken vitality over time, kids develop robust vitality to meet life’s challenges.
With chiropractic support, children can spend less time in the vicious sickness cycle and more time growing, developing, and thriving as they should.
At RCW, we want to help you and your kiddos thrive! Our docs want to help change your child’s life for the better, to change their trajectory from chronic illness to kicking the sick naturally.
Are you exhausted from the endless cycle of trying to solve yours or your child’s health issues? You’ve tried every remedy, seen countless specialists, and put in place diet changes with little lasting effect. It’s an emotional rollercoaster struggling with chronic inflammation, gut problems, sensory overload, or mood swings. Each specialist offers a piece of the puzzle, but none seem to connect the dots completely. You’re left feeling like you’re trying to piece things together on your own, desperately seeking a solution that ties everything together.
But here’s a silver lining you may not know about: The Vagus Nerve. Often overlooked, holds the key to many of these challenges. It’s the controller of all bodily functions, from nervous system regulation to digestion and immunity. By enabling its function, you can start down a path to better health for your child.
In this blog, we’ll explore the vagus nerve, offering hope for families struggling with chronic health struggles. If you’ve felt dismissed by conventional approaches, if you’re tired of the medication merry-go-round, and if you’re desperate for answers, this is for you. We’re here to empower you with knowledge that goes beyond surface treatments, focusing instead on addressing the root cause of your challenges.
Through safe, non-invasive techniques and neurologically-focused chiropractic care, we’ll equip you with the tools to stimulate the vagus nerve and unlock your full health potential.
Anatomy and Function of the Vagus Nerve
The vagus nerve serves as the vital communication link between the brain and essential organs that are crucial for health. From regulating heart and lung function to influencing gut health, immunity, motor coordination, and social-emotional regulation, the vagus nerve is truly a powerhouse.
Often referred to as “The Wandering Nerve” and “The Great Protector,” it coordinates the activation of the parasympathetic nervous system. Guiding the body into its restorative and healing mode. Originating from the brainstem and extending down through the neck into the thorax and abdomen, its reach is extensive.
Vagus Nerve Dysfunction
The consequences of vagus nerve dysfunction are profound, impacting various aspects of well-being. Disruptions in communication between the brain and organ systems can lead to early digestive issues like colic and constipation, skin conditions like eczema, and a weakened immune system prone to inflammation and illness.
Moreover, vagus nerve dysfunction affects motor coordination, endocrine function, and neurotransmitter balance. Contributing to social and emotional challenges such as stress, anxiety, and behavioral issues.
Several factors can compromise the function of the vagus nerve. Starting from prenatal stress and complications during birth, or birth trauma, which strain the delicate brainstem and neck region housing the nerve. Additionally, exposure to stress hormones, frequent antibiotics, toxins, and nutritional deficiencies can worsen dysfunction, leading to serious health issues.
Challenges like colic, reflux, chronic ear infections, eczema, constipation, and sensory processing difficulties hint at underlying vagus nerve dysfunction. Stressing the need for neurologically-focused Chiropractic Care.
Getting The Vagus Nerve Back Online
Thankfully, advancements in technology offer hope for identifying and addressing vagus nerve dysfunction. Through Heart Rate Variability (HRV) scans, we gain insights into your or your child’s vagal tone.
At RCW, we utilize scans to tailor chiropractic adjustments that stimulate and activate the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system. By getting to the root of the issue and promoting natural healing processes, we get things back online and healing naturally once again.
Natural methods like deep breathing, meditation, and spending time in nature offer valuable support for vagus nerve function. As well as addressing gut-immune inflammation issues. However, nothing is quite as direct in repairing and restoring vagus nerve and nervous system dysfunction as chiropractic adjustments.
It’s important to distinguish between nervous system support and genuine neurological healing. To truly tackle vagus nerve dysfunction and address the underlying causes of chronic health challenges, we need to fully restore the vagus nerve’s function with targeted adjustments and care plans.
So don’t wait to reach out to RCW today to kickstart your journey toward natural healing and full vagus nerve function!
Parents, this information may leave you a bit frustrated or upset, but we need to address a problem that’s been going on for far too long. Pediatricians have been telling parents that certain conditions are just a part of childhood and that their children will grow out of them. However, this is simply not the case.
If you have been up all night with your child who is experiencing colic, chronic constipation, reflux, or ear infection after ear infection, it’s essential to know that these issues will not simply go away on their own. If your child is struggling with tons of tantrums, meltdowns, developmental delays, and difficulty sleeping, don’t let anyone tell you that it’s just a phase.
We understand that as a parent, you know when something is wrong with your child. You may have been told to wait it out, but we want to assure you that there is more going on. Just as your gut tells you. The science behind these conditions is related to the function and development of the central and autonomic nervous system. An area that pediatricians may not understand very well, but is the absolute specialty of neurologically-focused pediatric chiropractors.
What Happens When There is Stress Built Up on the Nervous System?
Whether your child is two months old or fifteen years old, we have found that the neurology behind colic, sensory processing issues, autism, ADHD, anxiety, constipation, and chronic autoimmune challenges are virtually the same.
It all comes down to the nervous system being subluxated, stressed, and stuck in what’s called sympathetic dominance, or imbalance.
Over time stress and tension are placed on the nervous system from early childhood stressors. Stressors like prenatal distress, birth interventions, and trauma, and the exposure to toxins early in life. This leaves the entire nervous system dysregulated and out of balance, leading to a condition called dysautonomia.
This is why it’s so important to look for the root cause of their challenges. Instead of just labeling it and sending you and your child off to different specialists. We can help address the overactive and overstimulated sympathetic side of the nervous system in children with colic, sensory issues, and anxiety. Our office is very focused on functional neurology.
If you only chase symptoms, you’re not addressing the root cause. The nervous system controls everything from digestion to immune function, respiratory system, social-emotional regulation, and neurological development. By focusing on the nervous system first, you can get everything else figured out and functioning again much easier.
Challenges you’ve been told your children will “grow out of” like colic and chronic ear infections, can actually lead to chronic autoimmune challenges, allergies, and a compromised immune system. That makes it easier to catch every cold that comes around. Especially if each time they get sick they’re prescribed more antibiotics and other medications that further suppress gut-immune function.
Additionally, behavioral issues like tantrums, meltdowns, and hyperactivity are often dismissed as typical childhood behaviors. But these behaviors can be symptoms of larger issues related to neurological development. They can cause anxiety, hyperactivity, and emotional challenges in school and later in life.
The Perfect Storm Pathway
Regardless of where you are in this perfect storm pathway, you deserve to know what’s really going on with your child. Keep learning about their health, and consider using advanced technology like our INSiGHT Scans to measure and locate the stress and subluxation in the nervous system.
We specialize in adjustments that release stress, and lower sympathetic tone. These can help your child get out of the “storm” caused by these challenges. By getting the parasympathetic nervous system and vagus nerve activated and “online” once again, so much natural healing and health restoration can occur. Even older children can benefit from this kind of care. The nervous system remains plastic and can be changed even after years of stress.
Our office is neurologically-focused and uniquely equipped to address the common themes and threads behind all of these challenges. We provide drug-free action steps that can help your child and your family.
If you or someone you know has been told to simply wait and see, please share this information. Help spread the truth about the impact that neurologically-focused chiropractic care can have on your family’s life.
We are here to help you restore hope, find answers, and take action for the health and well-being of your child.
As parents, we all envision a future where our children are not just surviving, but thriving. Where they’re full of endless possibilities. However, for some families, this dream seems so far in the distance.
If you are a mom or dad whose child is struggling daily with a myriad of issues: mood disorders, gastrointestinal disturbances, chronic pain, unexplained weakness, and a host of other perplexing symptoms, please know you’re not alone. If they are still suffering despite countless medical consultations and treatments, and the root cause of your child’s suffering remains elusive, it’s heartbreaking and frustrating.
It’s natural for you to ask yourself: could there be an underlying cause behind these relentless challenges? Is there a way to uncover the source of these struggles and help your child truly heal?
The truth is, amidst all of the uncertainty, there lies a significant yet often overlooked condition: dysautonomia.
In this blog, we want to help demystify dysautonomia and empower you to take charge of your child’s health. We’ll dive into the depths of this condition, exploring its origins and why it frequently eludes conventional diagnosis. Moreover, we’ll uncover the role that neurologically-focused chiropractic care can play in restoring balance to the nervous system and offering hope to families navigating the complexities of dysautonomia.
Francesca’s Story of Hope
Meet Francesca, a spirited 13-year-old whose childhood was overshadowed by health struggles. At the age of 7, Francesca began experiencing seizures, a harrowing ordeal for any child and parent alike. As she transitioned through puberty, her challenges only intensified – fatigue, anxiety, and chronic constipation occurred on her way to adolescence. Despite tireless efforts and countless consultations, doctors found themselves perplexed by Francesca’s array of symptoms. It seemed as though they were merely addressing individual issues in isolation, rather than finding the underlying root cause.
However, Francesca’s amazing mother’s chance encounter with a friend changed everything. In a conversation about health concerns, dysautonomia came up. A term unfamiliar to so many, but emerged as a beacon of hope. With newfound determination, Francesca’s family sought the expertise of a specialized chiropractor, starting a new chapter in her health journey.
The Science Behind Dysautonomia
Dysautonomia, at its core, signifies a breakdown within the autonomic nervous system. The intricate network that governs virtually every organ and function in the body. From digestion and immunity to breathing and blood pressure regulation, the autonomic nervous system is in control of so many physiological processes essential for well-being. When this system falters, communication between the brain and the body becomes disrupted. This gives rise to a myriad of symptoms that vary depending on the affected organs.
Though dysautonomia manifests in various forms, common triggers in pediatric cases include prenatal stress, birth trauma (like c-sections, vacuum/forceps), recurrent infections, gut issues, and anxiety. These stressors instigate a cascade of events where the overlooked nervous system struggles to maintain equilibrium, perpetuating the cycle of dysautonomia.
Regrettably, conventional medical practices often overlook nervous system imbalance as a root cause, resorting instead to symptomatic management through medications. This approach, while possibly providing temporary relief, fails to address the underlying dysfunction, leaving children trapped in a cycle of recurring symptoms and frustration.
Enter neurologically-focused chiropractic – the beacon of hope for families like Francesca’s. We utilize advanced INSiGHT Scanning technology to access nervous system function. As well as precise neurological adjustments to alleviate neuroppinal tension (subluxation). RCW offers a tailored approach to restoring balance and harmony to the autonomic nervous system.
Helping the nervous system heal naturally has to happen in the same “order” or sequence that optimal neurological development is supposed to occur. At RCW, we know that before we can expect improvements in brain-based challenges such as seizures and anxiety, we must first get to work on the patient’s digestion, sleep, immune function, and motor system.
In Francesca’s case, once we started to get her sleep, digestion, and immune system back online and healthy again, it was only a matter of time before her brain-based challenges started to improve.
Hope Through Neurologically-Focused Chiropractic
If your child’s health journey has been marred by unexplained symptoms and relentless challenges, dysautonomia could hold the key to understanding their struggles. Take the first step towards clarity and healing by scheduling a consultation at RCW today! Our innovative INSiGHT scans help us identify neurological dysfunction, and tailor a unique care plan. Using non-invasive, gentle adjustments to your child’s specific needs, we pave the way for restoration.
With answers within reach, there is no need for your child to endure another day of suffering. The journey towards healing begins now!
As a parent, nothing can prepare you for the distress of seeing your baby cry inconsolably for hours on end. If your little one is crying for more than three hours a day and seems impossible to comfort, there is a good chance they are experiencing colic. This diagnosis affects about 25% of infants, leaving many families feeling overwhelmed and helpless.
It’s important to understand that colic isn’t just regular fussiness or tummy troubles that babies outgrow. It’s not just gas pains, food sensitivities, or issues with tongue and lip ties. Instead, colic often stems from deeper neurological imbalances and disruptions in your baby’s nervous system signaling and digestion.
Research has shown that colic isn’t something babies grow out of, and is a condition that requires attention and understanding. It is in no way your fault as a parent, nor is it a reflection of something you’re doing wrong. Understand that colic is a neurological imbalance and dysfunction that disrupts aspects of an infant’s well-being. Including sleep, digestion, and soothing mechanisms, can help you find the right care for your baby.
So, if you’re a parent who is overwhelmed by your baby’s persistent crying and you suspect there’s more to it than just typical infant behavior, this is for you. We’re here to offer insights beyond traditional medicine and to introduce drug-free solutions. Neurologically-focused chiropractic care has helped numerous families find relief for their little ones.
Exploring Colic’s Root Causes
As mentioned, colic often originates from something called subluxation and vagus nerve dysfunction rather than just gas pains or food sensitivities. Subluxation refers to areas of misalignment and tension in the spine. Vagus nerve dysfunction can disrupt vital functions such as digestion, immune response, and relaxation. Understanding these underlying issues is crucial for effectively addressing colic and promoting your baby’s well-being.
The Science Beyond Surface Symptoms
Colic affects approximately one in four infants, leading to prolonged crying episodes and challenges with traditional soothing methods. The origins of this neurological dysfunction can often be traced back to pregnancy. Maternal inflammation or a high-stress pregnancy can shift a baby’s nervous system into a state of dysautonomia. Where the fight-or-flight response dominates, affecting crucial functions like sleep and digestion.
During childbirth, birth stress and interventions such as forceps, vacuum extraction, or C-sections can further exacerbate these issues. The upper neck and mid-back area houses and protects the vagus nerve. A vital nerve responsible for sleep regulation, digestion, and relaxation—can experience misalignment and tension. This leaves your child’s nervous system trapped in sympathetic fight-or-flight mode, hindering their ability to find comfort and calm.
The Road to Relief From Colic
The journey to understanding and addressing colic can be daunting, especially when conventional wisdom may suggest that colic is a passing phase. The truth is that unresolved colic can lead to other health challenges, such as constipation, ear infections, and developmental delays. However, there is hope!
Specialized care protocols, including advanced technology like INSiGHT Scans, can guide precise care plans. These scans provide invaluable insights into your baby’s nervous system function. Pinpointing regions of dysfunction and subluxation and guiding the development of a precise care plan tailored to your child’s needs.
Once armed with this comprehensive assessment, we start with gentle neurologically-focused adjustments aimed at restoring proper nervous system function. While activating the vagus nerve and alleviating digestive issues associated with colic.
Taking Action for Your Baby’s Well-Being
If you find yourself exhausted, yearning for real answers to the root causes of your child’s colic, we’re ready to take that next step with you. Please reach out to RCW today to schedule a new patient consultation and exam for your baby. Restoring nervous system function brings fast relief, helping your baby thrive!
As you know, being a parent is quite a journey filled with joy and challenges. Unfortunately, the stress, burnout, and exhaustion we experience as parents are not exclusive to us. In today’s fast-paced world, our teens and young adults are also wrestling with mental, emotional, and physical health issues. The demands of school, sports, social media, and various relationships can take a toll on our teens, making it crucial for you parents to actively engage in supporting them.
If your teen is struggling in any way and you’re not sure how to help them, this is the blog for you.
Understanding the Perfect Storm
It’s important to recognize that the challenges your teen may be facing is not solely a result of their current stressors. Recent research suggests that our modern environment and lifestyle create a “Perfect Storm,” affecting neurological and physiological development from an early age. If your teen is struggling with health and neurological issues in their formative years, they may find it increasingly challenging to cope with stress as they enter adolescence.
Recognizing the Early Signs
Before burnout and exhaustion set in, your teen has experienced two distinct stages of stress and what we call subluxation: sympathetic fight or flight overload and neurological dysfunction. Identifying these stages early can help you to take proactive steps to support your teen.
The 5 Signs of Burnout + Exhaustion in Teens Today:
- 1. Sleep, Gut, and Immune Health Challenges:
- Addressing basic physiological functions is crucial to prevent constant wear and exhaustion. We need to ensure a healthy brain and autonomic nervous system regulation.
- 2. Physical Pain, Posture, Headaches:
- Recognizing signs of neurological exhaustion, such as poor posture and frequent injuries, can aid in early intervention.
- 3. Irritability, Agitation, and Big Mood Swings:
- Acknowledging the impact of exhaustion on teens’ emotional well-being is essential to understanding their struggles.
- 4. Mental and Emotional Dysregulation:
- Identifying impulsive behaviors and difficulty concentrating as signs of neurological exhaustion allows for targeted support.
- 5. Poor Lifestyle Choices + Eating Habits:
- Monitoring and guiding teens towards healthier choices can mitigate the impact of exhaustion on their overall well-being.
Taking Proactive Steps: How Parents Can Help Their Teens
Neurologically-focused chiropractic adjustments are a specialized form of care that specifically targets the autonomic nervous system. These adjustments serve as a crucial initial step towards achieving better health by directly stimulating the nervous system. This approach recognizes the integral role the autonomic nervous system plays in regulating all bodily functions, and seeks to optimize its functioning.
Prioritizing healthy sleep patterns is emphasized as a key component in promoting overall well-being for your child. The understanding here is that improved sleep can have a significant positive impact on their energy levels, and contribute to better overall health. This highlights the importance of incorporating good sleep habits into your teen’s lifestyle as a fundamental aspect of maintaining and enhancing physical well-being. This is one of the biggest things we hear from our patients once they start care; their sleep greatly improves.
Understanding the connection between gut health and mental well-being and promoting a balanced diet is crucial. Chiropractic adjustments help to activate the vagus nerve, which is sometimes called the rest and digest nerve, because of the crucial role it plays in those functions. Recognizing the relationship between the digestive system and mental health, the approach could also encourage your teen to adopt dietary practices that support both gut and immune health.
Empowerment, engagement, and health education are highlighted as crucial strategies, particularly for your teen. Actively engaging with your teen, understanding their interests, and providing education on the link between physical health and mental well-being are identified as powerful initial steps. This approach seeks to empower teens with the knowledge and tools necessary to make informed decisions about their health, fostering a sense of responsibility.
Lastly, we love to connect and collaborate with other health professionals. We encourage it, and it can end up being a very well-rounded strategy for your teen.
Addressing the Root Cause
While medication may be necessary in some extreme cases, addressing the root cause of your teens’ challenges involves understanding the neurological imbalances and dysfunctions contributing to burnout and exhaustion.
As parents, our role is pivotal in supporting our teens’ mental health. By recognizing the signs of burnout, taking meaningful actions, and collaborating with healthcare professionals, we can empower our teens to lead healthier, more balanced lives.
To dive deeper into supporting your teen’s mental health we use cutting-edge technology like the INSiGHT Scans. These tools help detect and address neurological dysfunction at the core of teen burnout and exhaustion, ensuring a drug-free approach to their well-being.
Please do not hesitate to reach out to us today at Rochester Chiropractic and wellness to schedule a consultation. We want to strive towards a future where teens are not only healthier but also equipped with the knowledge and support needed to navigate their well-being with confidence. We are here to support you every step of the way!
