​A reflex is an automatic, quick response your body makes to something — without you even thinking about it. For example, remember the knee-jerk reflex many of us experienced as kids? It’s a classic example of how our bodies respond instantly to a stimulus.
Neonatal reflexes are similar. These are built-in movements newborn babies perform without any conscious control. They help babies survive, feed, and interact with the world during their first few months. They also show that a baby’s brain and nervous system are developing properly.
One well-known example is the Startle Reflex, also called the Moro Reflex. If a baby hears a loud noise or feels like they’re falling, they’ll suddenly throw out their arms and legs — then quickly bring them back in. This reflex plays a key role in helping babies strengthen their extensor muscles (like those in the back and limbs), and it also helps balance out the flexor muscles, which were tightened during their curled-up position in the womb for nearly 40 weeks.
The startle reflex is just one of many that help newborns adapt to life outside the womb. As babies grow and begin to make purposeful, voluntary movements, these reflexes are no longer needed and should naturally fade. In fact, health professionals often check these reflexes to ensure children are meeting their age-appropriate developmental milestones.
But sometimes, these reflexes don’t go away when they should. When that happens, we call them Retained Neonatal Reflexes (RNRs).
What Causes Retained Reflexes?
Retained reflexes may occur when the brain has experienced some kind of trauma — either physical (like a difficult birth), chemical (such as exposure to certain drugs), or emotional (such as early stress or trauma). When these reflexes stick around, they can interfere with a child's development and behaviour.
Common Signs of Retained Reflexes in Children:
•           Anxiety, phobias, extreme shyness, or panic attacks
•           Discomfort with change or new experiences
•           Sensitivity to light, sound, or touch
•           Nail-biting, chewing on hair or shirt collars
•           Thumb sucking beyond toddler years
•           Difficulty using cutlery, holding a pencil, or playing instruments
•           Jaw or tongue movements while writing or concentrating
•           Poor balance and coordination
•           Struggles learning to ride a bike
•           Inability to sit still and poor concentration(often described as having “ants in the pants”)
 
…and many more


What to Do If You Suspect RNRs
If you recognise these signs in yourself or your child, you’re not alone — and there are ways to help. To learn more about retained reflexes and how they might be affecting your life, visit our website. You can also book a consultation with one of our Drs of Chirorpactic and Kinesiology at Sprouting Health to see how we can support you or your loved ones in managing these concerns.

Reflexes are defined as involuntary and arguably instantaneous movements in response to specific stimuli. Eg. take the patellae reflex, when the Dr taps your knee ligament your quad contracts automatically, and your knee shoots out - this is not under voluntary control.
Some of these reflexes are seen in particular age groups and disappear at identified times during one’s lifetime. These reflexes which are normally present in early life and disappear as one grows are the primitive reflexes.
 
Here at Little Sprouts we have a particular interest in the implication of their
impact on learning and development.
 
According to authorities in pediatric neurology, the reflexes are fashioned as part of the developmental process to develop specific brain circuits for important purposes. The development of what we have as the day-to-day movement activity is driven by the primitive reflexes (1). Primitive reflexes are thought to have a developmental role since they are supposed to help the young one to perform activities such as movement against gravity as they are incorporated within the first few months of life. That is especially true for walking and crawling.
 
Children who have retained primitive reflexes tend to exhibit some elements of social and even educational dysfunction. Their psychological development is modestly incapacitated hence they may show altered psycho-motor development (1) which is essentially the thought origin of movement from the brain controlling the actual moment.
          
Another study found that Inhibition of primitive reflexes, especially those involving the hands and the mouth has a significant role in the normal development of motor and expressional movements (2).
          
Some of these primitive reflexes can be related to other disorders (eg ADHD).
If you would like your or your children's primitive reflexes assessed call our practice (Sprouting Health Chiropractic and Kinesiology) now.


​ References

1. Ewa, Gieysztor, Choinska Anna and Malgorzata Borowicz. "Persistence of primitive reflexes and associated motor problems in healthy preschool children." Archives of Medical Science 14.1 (2018): 167-173
2. Chinello, Alice, Valentina Gangi and Eloisa Valenza. "Persistent primary reflexes affect motor acts: Potential implications for autism spectrum disorder." Research in Developmental Disabilities 83 (2018): 287-295.

When people think of chiropractors, they tend to think about our work on the spine. But did you know that we work on ALL the joints of the body? Yep, that’s right, from your head all the way down to your toes.
 
We find that this whole-body approach is extremely important in helping you reach your full potential. And this is even more important with our little sprouts. Our clinical examination of children includes checking for dysfunctional movements of their arms and legs as well as their spine.
 
A recent study done in Melbourne on 202 cases of neonates and infants under the age of 12 months found 153 cases had extremity dysfunction, with 177 instances present (1). Over 70% of these were the shoulder, followed by the wrist (5%), knee (5%), and elbow (2.5%).
The majority of shoulder dysfunction was found on the right side. This has been suggested to be caused when the shoulder girdle (being the widest part) is passing through the pelvic outlet during the birthing process (2). Other causes have been listed as, in utero positioning of the baby, and post-natal.
 
So, what is the big deal then? Well, the problem comes down to something we have talked to you all recently about, proprioception; how well can the brain see/feel what your body is doing. A recent study has shown that peripheral joint dysfunction will alter the proprioceptive feed back to the brain in as little as 10 hours (3). This was reversed by correcting the joint dysfunction. This tells us that if we find joints in our arms or legs that are not moving properly, it can impact on our ability to use them properly. This is important when we think of our little ones when they are learning things that we may take for granted, such as; crawling, walking, or even feeding ourselves.
 
This is also extremely important in athletes wanting maximum performance.
 

1. Fludder, C. J., & Keil, B. G. (2017). THE PREVALENCE OF EXTREMITY JOINT DYSFUNCTION IN NEONATES AND INFANTS WITHIN A PAEDIATRIC CHIROPRACTIC CLINIC. Chiropractic Journal of Australia, 45(4).
2. Edmonds DK. Dewhurst's textbook of obstetrics & gynaecology, 8th Edition. West Sussex: Wiley-Blackwell; 2012
3. Avanzino L, Pelosin E, Abbruzzese G, Bassolino M, Pozzo T, Bove M. Shaping motor cortex plasticity through proprioception. Cerebral Cortex 2014; 24(10):2807-2814

​What are the odds?
Have you ever overheard people talking about their lower back pain while you are sitting in a cafe enjoying your coffee or during a family gathering? Australian Bureau of Statistics 2017–18 National Health estimates about 4.0 million Australians (16% of the population) have back problems. It is estimated that 70–90% of people will suffer from lower back pain in some form at some point in their lives. (1)
 
Lower back pain is associated with weakened core muscles
Our spinal health and stability are supported by different tissues (intervertebral disc, muscles, tendons, ligaments…). Research describes the weakening of the truck and abdominal muscles as one major cause of chronic lower back pain. (2) We observed many people only focus on loosening up their stiff back muscles, but seldom discuss weak core muscles with their chiropractor. In the past decade, core strengthening has been brought back to one of the main protocols in a rehabilitation plan post-injury with athletes, the public and people who suffer lower back pain. (3)
 
Muscle imbalance
Your abdomen is a cylinder! Imagine that your spine is sitting at the back of a cylinder, your abdominal wall would be the front of the cylinder, traverse abdominal muscles would be the two sides of your cylinder. (3) When the abdominal walls are weakened, while daily stresses and pressures to your spine remain unchanged, passive tissues such as the discs and spinal joints will take up the duty. Predictably, muscles around your spinal joints tighten up, speeding up spinal degeneration and give you lower back pain.
 
A common misconception is to “suck the belly in” when people are asked to activate their core muscles. In fact, pushing your abdominals out is a better way to take the pressure off your spine. Here are a few steps to help you learn how to activate your core muscles!
 

• Step 1: Put your hand in front of your belly, covering your belly button.
• Step 2: Push your belly slightly out (imagine blowing up a balloon), your hand is there to make sure you’re doing the right thing!
• Step 3: Maintain normal breathing
• Step 4: Repeat!

 
Chiropractors are trained to help manage musculoskeletal disorders. If you have any concerns about how a chiropractor can help, consult with one of our chiropractors for a comprehensive health check and let us help you to be your best self possible!
 
References

1.         Health AIo, Welfare. Back problems. Canberra: AIHW; 2019.
2.         Chang W-D, Lin H-Y, Lai P-T. Core strength training for patients with chronic low back pain. Journal of physical therapy science. 2015;27(3):619-22.
3.         Akuthota V, Nadler SF. Core strengthening. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation. 2004;85:86-92.

​Joint pain or injury is common.  Neck pain, back pain, hip, shoulder, elbow or knee pain is annoying! This is an important article that could make the world of difference to you if you have any of this.
Even elite athletes have these same issues.
“Muscle imbalances exist in a wide range of athletes performing at the elite level and may be related to injury occurrence” (1).
Many patients go from one Dr or specialist to another without resolution of their musculoskeletal complaint. Sometimes underlying these physical problems are muscle imbalances.
When you have joint pain you feel down and frustrated, it is hard to be in the moment, to be 100% present and to truly enjoy life – performance drops. It is hard to know what to do, there seems to be many options….
When you see someone who lives and breathes treating muscle imbalance every day, someone who is fanatical and is energised every single time they get a win for their clients, you’ll finally be in the right hands so that you can get the care you deserve, get back to loving your life of activity and being more “you”.
If you’ve ever wanted to move towards living your life pain free then keep reading, this information might just change your life.
 The muscles we are talking about here are skeletal muscles. Skeletal muscles work because the brain and nervous system control them; as such, it should be referred to as a neuromuscular system, which includes the brain and spinal cord, the muscles, and the nerves that connect them.
Basically muscles can range from very loose muscles that are very weak with no perceivable contraction, to the other extreme of hypertonic or very tight muscles.
As an example, in the sitting position put your hands around your thigh muscle (upper leg about a hands width above your knee), contract your thigh by straightening your leg (make sure to leave the foot on the ground, simply slide it along) and feel the top muscle (quads) contract, at the same time the bottom muscle (hamstrings) will relax. If you do the opposite the hamstrings will contract and the quads will relax.
If these muscles did not behave in this way it would be a disaster. Imagine if the top muscle held on while the bottom muscle tried to contract. The joint could tear, be compressed or may not move at all. Now imagine that when we bend or walk the thousands of nerve signals and muscle contractions that have to occur in precisely the right sequence and force that are imperative for proper function.
A muscle that stays too relaxed is referred to as abnormal inhibition and sometimes called “weak” (although this is not true weakness, which refers to the lack of power). In most cases, this inhibition causes an opposite muscle to become too tight, a condition called abnormal facilitation. Together, these abnormal muscles (muscle imbalance) can adversely affect the joint(s) they control, the tendons they’re attached to, and other muscles, ligaments, bones, and body areas (such as the pelvic, spine, or head) all over. This is a common reason we suffer from tears, strains and injuries!
This will also cause an imbalance in posture and an irregular gait and often eventually pain. Studies demonstrate that trunk eccentric/concentric and flexion/extension strength imbalances may be associated to episodes or chronic prevalence of LBP (2).
 At Sprouting Health we work out muscle imbalance through postural observation, and then testing individually around 80 muscles on your body. We also look at excess bulking or reduction in size of a muscle from one side of the body to another.
 Comparing before and after treatment measurements can be very useful to determine whether improvements are being made and which therapies may be most successful.
 We also use manual muscle testing. Manual muscle testing involves physically evaluating individual muscles. This is accomplished by first positioning an arm, leg, or other body part associated with a particular muscle’s action. In this position, the practitioner applies force against the patient’s force from that particular muscle. Weakness due to abnormal inhibition may exist if the resistive force cannot properly be maintained, or sometimes if there is excessive pain.
 Properly done, manual muscle testing can help differentiate between neuromuscular imbalance, exercise imbalance, stress imbalance and sometimes organ imbalance.
If any of this relates to you then you’ll be glad to learn that we would love to see if we can help you. We promise not to waste your time or money!

Sprouting health chiropractic is not only a child friendly practice, we also look after older sprouts! One key area we look at especially is balance and fall risk! World Health Organisation stated adults over 65 years of age suffer the greatest number of fatal falls.(1) Research pointed out that chronic musculoskeletal pain is associated with poor stability.(2) Poor stability is considered as a risk factor for falls as is very important for gait (walking)!(2) Chiropractors and other health professions use a sit-to-stand test to identify an individual’s ability to maintain balance, measure lower extremity strength, and assessment of fall risk.
 
Five Times Sit to Stand Test(FTSST) is a very easy test to try at home. All you need is a chair without arms, roughly 90 degree bend at the knee joint, and a stopwatch. Make sure someone is watching you while performing the test as a safety precaution. Simply cross your arms over your chest, sit up straight from a sitting position 5 times as quickly as you can, and measure the time on completion.
 
The time exceeding the following can be considered to have worse than average performance: 11.4 sec (60 to 69 years), 12.6 sec. (70 to 79 years), and 14.8 sec. (80 to 89 years).(3) Research suggested further assessment if you excessed 12 seconds on completion.(4)
 
Chiropractic care has a high level of evidence on chronic lower back pain management.(5) As well as a moderate level of evidence on other chronic musculoskeletal pain such as neck pain, headaches, shoulder pain, and lower extremities joint pain.(5) If you failed the FTSST, suffering from chronic pain, or generally have poor balance, talk to our chiropractors and see whether we can help manage your concerns, as there are other pathologies that may also affect your stability and balance.
 
Lets also remember to get yourself checked to prevent these issues from occurring. As the saying goes…. Prevention is better than cure!

Reference

1.         Organization WH. Falls 2018 [Available from: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/falls#:~:text=Each%20year%20an%20estimated%20646,medical%20attention%20occur%20each%20year.
2.         Kendall JC, Vindigni D, Polus BI, Azari MF, Harman SC. Effects of manual therapies on stability in people with musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review. Chiropractic & manual therapies. 2020;28(1):1-10.
3.         Bohannon RW. Reference values for the five-repetition sit-to-stand test: a descriptive meta-analysis of data from elders. Perceptual and motor skills. 2006;103(1):215-22.
4.         Tiedemann A, Shimada H, Sherrington C, Murray S, Lord S. The comparative ability of eight functional mobility tests for predicting falls in community-dwelling older people. Age and ageing. 2008;37(4):430-5.
5.         Bronfort G, Haas M, Evans R, Leininger B, Triano J. Effectiveness of manual therapies: the UK evidence report. Chiropractic & osteopathy. 2010;18(1):1-33.

Do you or have you ever suffered with gut pain, bloating and abdominal pain, nausea, gastroesophageal reflux disease? Even symptoms including joint/muscle involvement, headache, anxiety, foggy mind, skin rash, dermatitis, fatigue and weakness and even numbness --- These are the most frequently reported symptoms stemming from a possibly common issue. This is an important article that could make the world of difference to you if you do have these things!
 
Over the past two decades, the incidence of diseases believed to be induced by the ingestion of wheat and related gluten-containing cereals, including rye and barley, has increased (1). Non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity (NCG/WS) is a syndrome characterized by intestinal and extra-intestinal symptoms occurring a few hours or days after the ingestion of gluten and wheat proteins in patients testing negative for coeliac disease and wheat allergy (2).
It has been established that other foods can cross-react with gluten. Antigens from other foods cross-react with various wheat antigens (3). If a subgroup of patients on a gluten-free diet does not show improvement in their GI or other symptoms, attention should be given to dairy and other cross-reactive foods, such as yeast, corn, oats, millet and rice, as shown in a recent study (3). The study also commented that some oat varieties contain avenin, which cross-reacts with wheat, barley, and rye. What this means in simple language is that foods can act potentially act like other foods that you may not have suspected.
Patients who complain of symptoms following bread and pasta ingestion should not eliminate gluten and wheat, but they should correctly undergo the diagnostic work-up to rule out Coeliac Disease (CD) and Wheat allergy (WA) (2). A self-diagnosis of gluten / wheat intolerance must be avoided since, once the elimination diet is begun, it is very difficult to reintroduce wheat to study the patient. Treatment with gluten / wheat withdrawal should be started only when there is a clear evidence that the patient can be affected by NCG/WS (2).
The first step of the diagnostic work-up for NCWS is based on the symptom assessment (scored from 1 as very mild to 10 as very severe) at baseline (when patients are still on a gluten/wheat-containing diet) and weekly for 6 weeks on gluten-free diet (GFD) by using the modified GSRS questionnaire. This is a Gastrointestinal Symptom Rating Scale (GSRS) integrated with extraintestinal manifestations. A GFD-dependent symptom decrease of greater than 30% compared with baseline in at least three symptoms is regarded as a criterion to suspect NCWS (2).
Since NCGS at this time is a poorly defined condition with highly subjective symptoms, a common clinical approach of eliminating suspected symptom-inducing foods followed by clinician-supervised re-challenge with close symptom monitoring has been advocated. In the most up to date literature/evidence This may prove superior to other methods due to its ease of administration and being more informative (4). IE do this before more invasive tests like bloods!
 
If this resonated with you and you would like more information come infor an assessment by one of our Chiroprators/KInesiologists.

1. Leonard MM, Sapone A, Catassi C, et al. Celiac disease and nonceliac glutensensitivity: a review. JAMA 2017;318:647–56.
2. Volta U, Caio G, Karunaratne TB, Alaedini A, De Giorgio R. Non-coeliac gluten/wheat sensitivity: advances in knowledge and relevant questions. Expert review of gastroenterology & hepatology. 2017 Jan 2;11(1):9-18.
3. Vojdani A, Tarash I. Cross-reaction between gliadin and different food and tissue antigens. Food and Nutrition Sciences. 2013 Jan 10;4(01):20.
4. Priyanka P, Gayam S, Kupec JT. The Role of a Low Fermentable Oligosaccharides, Disaccharides, Monosaccharides, and Polyol Diet in Nonceliac Gluten Sensitivity. Gastroenterology research and practice. 2018;2018.

​One of the most important causes of disability globally is low back pain (1). It has been increasing in all age groups over the last few decades (2). Do you or a loved one experience low back pain? This is an important article that could make the world of difference to you.
 
“The age standardised prevalence estimate for low back pain is 10.5% in North America.” (3) This means that 10 out of every 100 people will get significant LBP.
 
Due to limited effectiveness of common medical therapies which include the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, opioids, spinal fusions, and epidural steroid injections (4-6). It is recommended by clinical practice guidelines that evidence-based nonpharmacological treatment options should be the first-line therapy considered. Including exercise, superficial heat, spinal manipulation, massage, cognitive behavioural therapy and others (7). In the emergency department, more than two thirds of older patients with a lumbar spine condition received opioid analgesics (8). Is chiropractic care a treatment option that may help reduce the need to use opioids?
 
In recent research literature, they looked at Veterans Health Administration health record data, the study sample included patients who had a visit for low back pain in a Veterans Health Administration primary care provider between 2015 and 2020. The patients included in the study hadn’t had care for low back pain for more than 18 months prior to the visit. The study looked at new opioid prescriptions within 365 days after this initial visit. From the results it was indicated that there was a significantly lower risk for receipt of an opioid prescription among chiropractic care users in the follow up of 365 days later (9). The study indicates a positive correlation with the use of chiropractic care and reducing the risk of having to turn to opioids to help manage low back pain.
 
If you want to find out if chiropractic may help manage low back pain for you or your loved ones, have a chat with one of our chiropractors to see how they can assist.

“It is important to try a more conservative evidence-based nonpharmacological treatment option first as it is the recommended clinical practice guidelines”
 
 
 
 
 
 
1.Hartvigsen J, Hancock MJ, Kongsted A, et al. What low back pain is and why we need to pay attention. Lancet 2018;391:2356–67.
2. Global Health Group Data Exchange http://ghdx.healthdata.org/gbd-results-tool accessed Nov 15, 2020). 
3. Ferreira, M.L., De Luca, K., Haile, L.M., Steinmetz, J.D., Culbreth, G.T., Cross, M., Kopec, J.A., Ferreira, P.H., Blyth, F.M., Buchbinder, R. and Hartvigsen, J., 2023. Global, regional, and national burden of low back pain, 1990–2020, its attributable risk factors, and projections to 2050: a systematic analysis of the Global Burden of Disease Study 2021. The Lancet Rheumatology, 5(6), pp.e316-e329.
4. Deyo RA, Mirza SK, Turner JA, Martin  BI. Overtreating chronic back pain:time to back off? JAmBoardFam Med. 2009;22(1):62-68.
5.Manchikanti L, Knezevic NN, Boswell MV, Kaye AD, Hirsch JA. Epidural injections for lumbar radiculopathy and spinal stenosis: a comparative systematic review and meta-analysis. Pain Physician. 2016;19(3):E365-E410.
6. Machado GC, Maher CG, Ferreira PH, Day RO, Pinheiro MB, Ferreira ML. Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for spinal pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Rheum Dis. 2017;76(7):1269-1278.
7.Qaseem, A., Wilt, T.J., McLean, R.M., Forciea, M.A. and Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians*, 2017. Noninvasive treatments for acute, subacute, and chronic low back pain: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Annals of internal medicine, 166(7), pp.514-530.
8. de Luca, K., McLachlan, A.J., Maher, C.G. and Machado, G.C., 2023. Australian emergency department care for older adults diagnosed with low back pain of lumbar spine origin: a retrospective analysis of electronic medical record system data (2016–2019). BMC Emergency Medicine, 23(1), p.17.
9. Lisi, A.J., Bastian, L.A., Brandt, C.A., Coleman, B.C., Fenton, B., King Jr, J.T. and Goulet, J.L., 2025. The Impact of Chiropractic Care on Opioid Prescriptions in Veterans Health Administration Patients Receiving Low Back Pain Care: Lisi et al. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 40(16), pp.3973-3981.

​​Chiropractic spinal adjustments are widely known for helping with pain relief, improving movement and supporting posture. However, emerging research suggests their effects extend beyond the joint and muscles – influencing biological processes such as stress hormone levels, neuroplasticity markers (the brains ability to adapt), and inflammatory related proteins.
In 2025, researchers led by Amjad and colleagues published a clinical trial in the Public Library of Science, examining whether chiropractic spinal adjustments influence key physiological biomarkers in adults with mild spinal pain.
This 12-week randomised controlled trial involved adults aged 20-60 who were divided into two groups: one group received chiropractic spinal adjustments, and the other received a placebo intervention. The researchers measured several biological markers before, during and after the study to determine whether chiropractic care influenced:

• Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) – a protein linked to neuroplasticity and plays a key role in nervous system health.
• Cortisol – a hormone involved in the body’s stress response
• Inflammatory cytokines -proteins that regulate inflammation.
• Immune cell profiles.

The group receiving chiropractic care showed increased levels of BDNF after 12 weeks of treatment. BDNF supports the brain’s ability to adapt and reorganize, therefore higher levels are associated with improved nervous system function and adaptability. This finding suggests spinal adjustments could influence how the brain and nervous system communicate. There were also changes noted in cortisol levels for the group receiving care. Cortisol is often referred to as the “stress hormone” but it plays a broader role in regulating energy, immune function and daily rhythms. Changes in cortisol can reflect altered nervous system regulation rather than simply more or less stress.
Inflammation in the body can be complex; some inflammatory markers help regulate healing and immune responses, while others drive chronic inflammation. There was a reduction in TNF-α, a pro-inflammatory cytokine, in the chiropractic group. This suggests intervention may influence immune regulation and inflammatory balance.
Our spine houses and protects our nervous system. When spinal dysfunction affects how the nervous system communicates, it can influence broader physiological processes. Improving spinal function through chiropractic treatment can impact how our body and brain regulate stress and inflammation. There is a growing body of evidence suggesting chiropractic care as supporting the whole-body regulation – beyond simple pain relief.
Reference:
Amjad I, Niazi IK, Kumari N, Ghani U, Rashid U, Duarte FCK, et al. (2025) The effects of 12 weeks of chiropractic spinal adjustments on physiological biomarkers in adults: A pragmatic randomized controlled trial. PLoS One 20(12): e0338730. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0338730

​In recent years, research has revealed that gut health affects far more than digestion. The trillions of bacteria living in the gastrointestinal tract — collectively known as the gut microbiome — play a crucial role in immune function, inflammation regulation, metabolism, and even brain development.
 
When this delicate ecosystem becomes imbalanced, a state known as dysbiosis, a wide range of symptoms and health conditions may follow.
 
How Common Are Gut-Related Conditions in Australia?
Although “gut dysfunction” itself is not always formally diagnosed, conditions linked to microbiome imbalance are extremely common.
 
Irritable Bowel Syndrome (IBS) affects an estimated 30% of Australians at some point in their lives, making it one of the most prevalent gastrointestinal disorders in the country.¹ IBS symptoms include abdominal pain, bloating, diarrhoea, constipation, and irregular bowel habits. Research increasingly suggests that alterations in gut bacteria and gut–brain communication play a role in symptom development.²
 
Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, affects approximately 1 in 250 Australians.³ While IBD is more severe and involves immune-mediated inflammation, changes in gut microbiota composition are consistently observed in affected individuals.
 
These figures demonstrate that digestive symptoms linked to gut imbalance are widespread and can significantly impact quality of life.
 
The Gut–Brain Connection
The gut and brain communicate continuously through what is known as the gut–brain axis. This communication involves neural pathways (including the vagus nerve), immune signalling, and microbial metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids.
 
Emerging evidence suggests that gut microbiota may influence mood, cognition, and behaviour.
 
A longitudinal Australian cohort study found that specific gut bacterial patterns in infancy were associated with behavioural outcomes at two years of age.⁴ While this does not prove causation, it supports growing evidence that early microbial development may influence neurodevelopment.
 
A recent umbrella review examining children with mood, anxiety, and neurodevelopmental disorders reported consistent associations between altered gut microbiota composition and these conditions.⁵ Researchers emphasise that while the relationship is complex and multifactorial, gut microbial imbalance may contribute to inflammation, immune activation, and altered neurotransmitter signalling.
 
Conditions Linked to Gut Dysbiosis
Research has associated gut microbial imbalance with a range of conditions, including:

• Irritable bowel syndrome
  
  
• Inflammatory bowel disease
  
  
• Anxiety and mood disorders
  
  
• Neurodevelopmental differences in children
  
  
• Atopic conditions such as asthma
  
  
• Metabolic disorders
  
  

It is important to note that dysbiosis is rarely the sole cause of disease. Rather, it appears to act as one contributing factor within a broader network of genetic, environmental, dietary, and lifestyle influences.
 
Why This Matters in Chiropractic Practice
From a musculoskeletal and nervous system perspective, chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, and altered gut–brain signalling may influence pain perception, fatigue, stress resilience, and overall wellbeing.
 
Supporting gut health may therefore complement broader strategies aimed at improving nervous system regulation and whole-body function.
 
Probiotics and Prebiotics
Two commonly discussed strategies for supporting gut health include probiotics and prebiotics.
 
Probiotics are live beneficial microorganisms that, when taken in adequate amounts, may help restore microbial balance. Certain strains have been shown to reduce antibiotic-associated diarrhoea and may improve IBS symptoms in some individuals.²
 
Prebiotics are non-digestible fibres that feed beneficial bacteria already present in the gut. When fermented, they produce short-chain fatty acids that support gut lining integrity and regulate inflammation.
 
Together, these approaches may support microbial diversity and gut resilience. However, individual responses vary, and dietary diversity remains a foundational strategy for long-term gut health. Whether you are new to sprouting health or a regular practice member, ask your Chiropractor to know more about gut health and effective strategies tailor to you.