She was crying, but they were tears of joy. She told me about her history—too many miscarriages to count, but six confirmed by her doctors. Every time, about six weeks in, the baby would stop growing. They told her the blood flow to her uterus was not enough to sustain a baby. Yet here she was holding her firstborn. What changed?
Chiropractic.
Yes, chiropractic. And that is the only thing she did differently. When she first came in nine months ago, she did not initially share her miscarriage history with me. She just came in for low back pain, mid-lumbar spine. But that is where the nerves that control blood flow to the uterus originate. This time the patient went in to her doctor, expecting to lose another child. But this time was different. Chiropractic had restored optimal nerve connectivity and those nerves corrected the blood flow. Thanks to the chiropractic care she received, she was now a mom.
I have had the honor to help over thirty families in the area have children after they were told it would not happen. It is still one of the biggest miracles we see in our office. Many of the conditions we treat were once questioned—chiropractic for colic, ear infections, ADD/ADHD, bedwetting? When I first started treating these conditions years ago many people were skeptical. Now I get referrals from M.D.s to treat those same conditions. The combination of chiropractic, nutrition, and functional medicine has worked wonders in many children.
I truly love treating children. They are such miracles of healing. Oftentimes all you have to do is restore good nerve connection and they heal right up. Adults take longer and are often held back by scar tissue, old injuries, stress, and bad posture—but that’s a conversation for another time. Looking back over 35 years of practice I’ve treated close to 500 babies and children for various conditions. Some of these children are now on their way to becoming chiropractors!
Along with chiropractic, there is a place for nutrition and functional medicine in treating children. Earlier in my practice (back in the 80s and 90s) chiropractic alone was enough. What’s the difference now? Today the nervous system has to cope with a lot of environmental toxins like glyphosate and pesticides that get into our blood streams. Also a factor is polluted water, too many processed foods, inflammatory diets of fast food, too much screen time, not enough social interaction. All these things add undue strain on the nervous system that was so wonderfully designed to heal us.
That is why I have added nutrition and functional medicine to my formally exclusive chiropractic practice. We have helped a lot of kids with various condition including ADHD/ADD with nutraceuticals, diet changes, and lifestyle recommendations. Kids need vitamins too, and they typically respond to gentle herbs and vitamins better than medications, which can have side effects.
The other side of treating children is beginning to care for them before they are born as part of pregnancy care. Research done back in the 1980s showed that women who had chiropractic care throughout pregnancy typically had shorter labor times, quicker delivery, and usually ended up with half the complications of women who did not. It makes sense—if the pelvis does not relax, the birth canal does not open well. Like my patient in the first story, better blood and nerve flow to the uterus makes for healthier babies. In addition, chiropractic can lower stress levels in the mother’s body. Many fascinating research studies have confirmed that the stress levels in a mother’s body can affect her baby’s brain permanently.
Similar to treating children, nutrition and functional medicine for moms can have a huge impact too. Stress reduction, improved digestion, calming down morning sickness—these all can lead to better, healthier pregnancies. But let’s not forget dads here. Nutritional support pre-conception is particularly important in improving fertility.
Over 35 years of practice and extensive experience with babies and moms has taught me the amazing resilience of a healthy body. My experience has also taught me that now, more than ever, those same babies and mom need help attaining a healthy lifestyle. Thankfully functional medicine is available right here in Fairmont.
Dr. Burtis, D.C., M.S., CFMP, has been providing natural healthcare to the Fairmont area at Burtis Chiropractic Center for over 30 years. He uses a combination of chiropractic, nutrition, and functional medicine to help individuals restore and maintain health and healing through individualized care plans. The mission of Burtis Chiropractic Center is to provide transformational healthcare that takes an individual’s life to the next level. We strive to be a solution for families to experience transformational healthcare and help create vibrant and resilient lifestyles that can be passed to future generations.