So many factors can play into fertility: Diet, exercise, genetics. But what about the alignment of your spine? Believe it or not, for some women -- it can.
The body is an intricate, interdependent system. If one bodily system goes awry, it can create a domino effect of symptoms and ailments. That's where chiropractic care comes into play.
Chiropractors are trained to look at misaligned joints and reset them. Aside from relieving ache or pain from a single joint, this can set other bodily functions back in line as well -- even the reproductive system. "Chiropractic care can relate to fertility issues if there is interference in the coordination and control of the body. This lack or coordination can have an impact on hormone balances," says Louise Hockley of Back to Living Chiropractic [chiro.co.nz].
Hockley says that one of her patients, Beth, was able to conceive a child after five years of infertility with the help of regular chiropractic care. "She had been receiving chiropractic care very irregularly and had been talking with a friend who became pregnant after starting care in our office. Beth came and talked to me about her desire to have a baby. We started her being adjusted regularly and found that she was not getting enough good fats in her diet. I had Beth start taking Vitamin 
Why can this simple fix work for some women?
It's all about balance
Dr Tyran Mincey, a chiropractic physician and certified applied kinesiologist with Integrated Healthcare of Montclair (wholistic-chiro.com) explains that you might not even know there is a problem, since dysfunction associated with misaligned joints is not always painful."Because of the neurologic wiring of the body, and because nerves pass from the spine and pelvis and go to reproductive organs, the lack of movement of joints of the spine and/or pelvis (hips) and/or skull can cause disturbances in hormonal balance. The body can only tell us via the muscles, which have similar nerve supply as the organs, that there is a problem when no disease is present.... So we need to understand that fertility is the result of a extremely complicated symphony of hormonal functions of several glands in the body, including the pituitary, ovaries, adrenal and thyroid, working without nerve interference and properly nourished," says Mincey.
Chiropractic care isn't a fertility treatment, however. "Chiropractic care does not treat infertility. Rather, we care for the person who is experiencing fertility issues. By removing any interference in the nerve system, the body can come back into balance and function optimally. After starting chiropractic care, many women report that their menstrual cycles are regular for the first time in their lives," says Hockley.
The appointment
During your first visit, your chiropractor will try to figure out what's going wrong with your body. "The patient receives an examination to determine the degree and nature of structural stresses, subluxation, nerve interference and joint dysfunction. She may be given x-rays, lab testing and postural analysis along with a good history. In an applied-kinesiology chiropractic exam, she may be given several additional tests, including biofeedback, to help determine organ balance and function. [She also will have] a detailed study of muscles related to her reproductive system, and several functional lab tests that evaluate diet and organ function," Mincey says.Before you go, make sure you talk to your ob/gyn about your specific condition and get referrals to a chiropractor skilled in this area.
