​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.

Does your child suffer from recurrent neck pain? Mechanical neck pain resulting from day to day activities? Which may be from poor ergonomics at school and home, extended use of iPads, phone or laptops? This is an important article that could make the world of difference to them.
 
“Neck pain is the most common spinal pain in paediatric patients” (1,2)
 
As children are studying harder, and moving into a new generation where a lot of new technology is adopted, a lot of mechanical stress and ergonomic stress is placed on their spines. We have all heard about the “text neck” and other new age labels for issues that come about from extended use of technology.
 
But the good news is with correct management, mechanical neck pain issues can be minimised. In a recent study, paediatric mechanical neck pain appears to be successfully managed by chiropractic care, with no serious adverse events. (3)
 
 
It hurts us at Sprouting Health to hear about children in pain without any relief provided. As it limits the full expression of their capabilities and their enjoyment of life!
 
 
 
1.Mikkelsson M, Salminen JJ, Kautiainen H. Non-specific musculoskeletal pain in preadolescents. Prevalence and 1-year persistence. Pain. 1997; 73:29-35.
2. El-Metwally A, Salminen JJ, Auvinen A, Macfarlane G, Mikkelsson M. Risk factors for development of non- specific musculoskeletal pain in preteens and early adolscents: a prospective 1-year follow-up study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disord. 2007;8:46.

3. Cox, J., Davidian, C. and Mior, S., 2016. Neck pain in children: a retrospective case series. The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association, 60(3), p.212.

Do you or have you ever suffered with neck pain? There is some amazing research to show you may have this!!
When the spine is injured or simply not moving properly the brain changes. Over time mild spinal dysfunction (coming and going pain) leads to:

• People being less aware of where their joints are in space
• Neck muscles fatiguing faster, ie tired heavy neck
• People learning motor movements slower (worse muscle output)
• Changing ability to mentally rotate objects in space. Brain is not as accurately aware of what is going on in space.
• Not being able to interpret sound and visual information as well as others. Brains are less accurately aware of their bodies and do not process information as accurately, and cannot identify objects in space as accurately. This is what the latest research is showing!

Think about the implications of where these things are important in life. Sport, movements, energy in your day, concentration, driving. The list is endless.
Therefor it is paramount to get your neck checked if you have mild dysfunction. A niggle is worth getting checked to ensure your brain is properly aware of your body in space.
 
What we do in our office:
Because we are not only chiropractors but also trained in kinesiology we also have a lot of refined tools to help you recover and perform better.
 
If you are ready now to come into our practice to see if we can help simply navigate to our website and click book now or phone us. We promise not to waste your time or money!

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1. Balagué F, Mannion AF, Pellisé F, Cedraschi C. Non-specific low back pain. Lancet. 2012 Feb 4;379(9814):482-91. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(11)60610-7. Epub 2011 Oct 6
2. NSW Agency for Clinical Innovation. Management of people with acute low back pain: model of care. Chatswood; NSW Health; 2016. 39 p

Did you know… The way you’re sitting in your chair RIGHT NOW might be predisposing you to neck pain.  This is an important article for you and anyone you know that uses a desk daily.
“Slump sitting” also referred to as upper or proximal crossed syndrome is associated with neck flexion and forward head carriage which causes an imbalance of muscles in the neck and upper body (1).  Often when sitting at desks for long periods of time, our important spinal and neck stabilizing muscles fatigue which can result in the recruitment of larger associated muscles.  We often see hypertonic (too tight) pectoral and upper trapezius muscles in conjunction with hypotonic (weak) deep neck flexors and rhomboid muscles.   Slump sitting and the imbalance of muscles that usually result from it, can also be accompanied by neck tension and pain. 
 
Office workers with and without neck pain were found to have a 10% increase in forward head posture from their relaxed sitting postures when working with a computer (2).  This suggests that office workers [or anyone who works with a computer including school aged children and teenagers] is at risk of developing forward head posture along with postural fatigue that we see in upper crossed syndrome.
 
The good news though is that there is strong evidence to support the effectiveness of endurance and strengthening exercises for treating non-specific neck pain in office workers (1).  Exercises to strengthen the deep neck flexors and to encourage mobility of the spine can be found in the link below.
 
https://www.sproutinghealthchiropractic.com.au/free-exercise-sheets.html
 
 

1. Caneiro, J. P., O'Sullivan, P., Burnett, A., Barach, A., O'Neil, D., Tveit, O., & Olafsdottir, K. (2010). The influence of different sitting postures on head/neck posture and muscle activity. Manual therapy, 15(1), 54-60.
2. Szeto, G. P., Straker, L., & Raine, S. (2002). A field comparison of neck and shoulder postures in symptomatic and asymptomatic office workers. Applied ergonomics, 33(1), 75-84.