Bladder Problems, Natural Treatment and Chiropractic

Bladder Function and Nerve Involvement

The urinary bladder has a specific function and when that function fails, urinary incontinence often results. These strong sudden needs to urinate are a tell-tale sign that the body is not working properly. Urinary incontinence does not often bring patients into my office, but we have had good results with our chiropractic and alternative medicine treatment.  For the men and women who are experiencing this problem, let’s look at the anatomy…

The bladder is an organ like the heart, liver or spleen.  It is made up of very specialized tissue that holds waste fluid from the kidneys. The bladder fills like a balloon and expels the fluid with the help of the detrusor muscle. The signal to control this muscle runs from the brain to the organ through the autonomic (think automatic) nervous system. There are two divisions of this nerve system, the sympathetic and parasympathetic.

From a structural standpoint, these nerves have a common route that they take from the brain to the bladder. The sympathetic nerves, which cause the bladder to relax and hold fluid, run down the spinal cord to the upper lumbar (lower back) region. They exit out the upper lumbar vertebra levels and connect to the bladder. The parasympathetic nerves, which squeeze the bladder to urinate, run further down the spinal cord and exit at the sacrum, the bone in the center of your pelvis.

Chiropractic Treatment for Bladder Issues

Chiropractic can help by clarifying the signal from the brain to the bladder. If the vertebrae are twisted, these nerves get pinched and the signal is degraded. A specific chiropractic adjustment will align the vertebra and take pressure off these nerves. 

In some circumstances, the bladder will position a little lower than normal. A light instrument adjustment will often alleviate some of the pressure and help restore normal flow. 

Functional Treatment and Rehab

The next step is to provide pelvic floor strengthening exercises to support this correction. The body responds more favorably to muscle strengthening when it is in alignment.

The third piece to the puzzle is providing the right nutrients to ensure the tissues heal properly. Our clinical nutrition program utilizes professional grade dietary supplements for support.

If you are experiencing bladder and urinary incontinence issues and are looking for a natural treatment, please call me at (304) 933-9355 to set up a consultation to see if Enliven Chiropractic can help.