Constipation and Diarrhea in Naperville, IL — Understanding the Root Causes
Constipation and diarrhea are two of the most common digestive complaints people experience, yet few understand the deeper physiological imbalances that drive them. Most patients are told their symptoms are “normal,” “stress-related,” or “diet-related.” While these factors matter, they rarely tell the whole story. As a functional, holistic chiropractor specializing in Internal Health, Dr. Keith Giaquinto at Giaquinto Chiropractic and Digestion Center looks deeper — to the nervous system, the spine, and the body’s digestive chemistry — to find and correct what’s actually going wrong.
Book OnlineThe Nervous System: Your Digestive System’s Master Controller
Your digestive system is designed to work best in parasympathetic mode — the “rest, digest, and heal” state. This is when your stomach produces acid, your pancreas releases enzymes, and your intestines move food along rhythmically and efficiently.
But far too many people today live in sympathetic dominance — a chronic “fight or flight” mode triggered by mechanical, emotional, and nutritional stress. When the sympathetic nervous system is chronically activated, the effects on digestion are significant:
- Blood flow is redirected away from the digestive organs
- Stomach acid and enzyme production decrease
- Peristalsis (intestinal movement) becomes irregular
- The ileocecal valve tightens or spasms
- The colon either slows down (causing constipation) or speeds up (causing diarrhea)
In other words, your body can’t prioritize digestion when it thinks it’s under threat — even if the “threat” is a deadline, relationship stress, poor posture, processed food, or chronic inflammation. This is why addressing the nervous system is central to resolving both constipation and diarrhea. Learn more about how chiropractic care supports digestive health.
Constipation: When the System Slows to a Crawl
Chronic constipation is almost always a sign that the digestive system is running in slow motion. From a chiropractic and functional perspective, the most common causes include:
1. Sympathetic Dominance
Chronic stress inhibits the normal rhythmic contractions of the intestines, slowing transit time and allowing stool to become dry, compact, and difficult to pass. When the bowel becomes toxic, it negatively affects the rest of the body and overall health.
2. Spinal Subluxations
Misalignments in the lumbar spine and sacrum directly affect the nerves that control colon function, rectal tone, and the defecation reflex. A subluxation in the lower back can effectively “turn down” the nerve signals that tell the colon to move. Many patients with chronic constipation find significant relief when lumbar and sacral adjustments are incorporated into their care plan.
3. Enzyme Deficiency
Without adequate digestive enzymes, food is not properly broken down in the stomach and small intestine. Undigested food passes into the colon in a partially fermented state, contributing to sluggish motility, bloating, and compacted stool. Enzyme therapy that targets these specific deficiencies can dramatically improve transit time and stool consistency.
4. Dehydration and Poor Diet
The colon’s primary job is to reabsorb water from stool before it is eliminated. When you are chronically dehydrated or your diet lacks sufficient fiber, the colon extracts too much water, leading to hard, difficult-to-pass stools. Poor diet quality also starves the gut microbiome of the fiber and nutrients it needs to maintain healthy motility.
Diarrhea: When the System Speeds Out of Control
Chronic or recurrent diarrhea signals a different but related dysfunction — one where the bowel is moving too fast and not absorbing water properly. Common functional causes include:
1. Sympathetic Overactivation
The same stress response that slows some people’s digestion can speed others’ colon dramatically. Anxiety-driven diarrhea is the result of the sympathetic nervous system accelerating gut motility and reducing the time available for water reabsorption.
2. Vagus Nerve Dysfunction
The vagus nerve plays a crucial role in balancing gut motility. When vagal tone is disrupted — often due to cervical or upper thoracic subluxations — the colon can become hyperactive. Chiropractic care that restores cervical and thoracic alignment can improve vagal tone and reduce the frequency of diarrhea episodes.
3. Gut Dysbiosis and SIBO
An imbalance in the gut microbiome — where harmful bacteria outnumber beneficial bacteria — creates fermentation of undigested food, gas production, and hypermotility. SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) is a common contributor to chronic loose stools. Dr. Giaquinto identifies and addresses dysbiosis through a combination of dietary guidance, herbal protocols, and targeted enzyme therapy.
4. Food Sensitivities and Enzyme Deficiencies
Specific food intolerances — such as lactose intolerance or reactions to gluten — can trigger inflammatory diarrhea by irritating the intestinal lining. Enzyme deficiencies that prevent proper breakdown of carbohydrates, proteins, or fats create fermentation and osmotic diarrhea. Identifying and addressing these specific deficiencies is a key component of Dr. Giaquinto’s care protocol.
How Dr. Giaquinto Treats Constipation and Diarrhea in Naperville
At Giaquinto Chiropractic and Digestion Center, treatment for constipation and diarrhea is never one-size-fits-all. Dr. Keith conducts a comprehensive evaluation — including a 24-hour urinalysis, a fasting digestive exam, bloodwork, and a thorough history — to identify the specific imbalances driving your symptoms. From there, the care plan is customized to your body, and may include:
- Chiropractic adjustments to correct lumbar, sacral, and cervical subluxations affecting digestive nerve function
- Enzyme therapy to restore proper digestive chemistry
- Dietary modification and food sensitivity guidance
- Emotional therapy to address stress-driven nervous system dysregulation
- Lifestyle and hydration recommendations
The goal is to identify where the system broke down and correct it at the source — so your bowel function normalizes and stays that way. Explore our related pages on gas and bloating and heartburn for more on how digestive dysfunction presents across the system.
Frequently Asked Questions About Constipation and Diarrhea
Can chiropractic care help with constipation?
Yes. Subluxations in the lumbar spine and sacrum directly interfere with the nerve signals that control colon motility, rectal tone, and the defecation reflex. Chiropractic adjustments to those regions can restore proper nerve communication and significantly improve bowel regularity. Many patients with long-standing constipation notice meaningful changes within a few weeks of beginning care at Giaquinto Chiropractic and Digestion Center.
What is sympathetic dominance and why does it cause digestive problems?
Sympathetic dominance is a state of chronic “fight or flight” activation in the nervous system. It is triggered by physical, emotional, or nutritional stress. In this state, the body deprioritizes digestion — reducing enzyme production, restricting blood flow to digestive organs, and altering gut motility. Depending on the individual, this can manifest as constipation (slowed colon) or diarrhea (hyperactive colon). Correcting the underlying causes of sympathetic dominance — including spinal subluxations, nutritional deficiencies, and unprocessed emotional stress — is central to Dr. Giaquinto’s treatment approach.
Can enzyme deficiencies cause constipation or diarrhea?
Yes. When digestive enzymes are insufficient, food is not fully broken down before it reaches the colon. This partially digested food undergoes fermentation and putrefaction in the gut, which can cause both constipation (from sluggish motility and compacted stool) and diarrhea (from osmotic pressure and fermentation-driven hypermotility). Enzyme therapy that targets your specific deficiencies can address both ends of this spectrum.
How are constipation and diarrhea evaluated at your Naperville office?
Dr. Giaquinto uses a comprehensive functional evaluation including a d
etailed patient history, a 6-day food log, a 24-hour urinalysis, bloodwork, and a fasting digestive exam. These tools allow him to identify enzyme deficiencies, gut imbalances, and nervous system dysfunction that standard medical testing often misses. The result is a care plan tailored specifically to your body’s imbalances — not a generic protocol.
Is SIBO related to chronic diarrhea?
Yes. SIBO (Small Intestinal Bacterial Overgrowth) is a significant contributor to chronic loose stools and diarrhea. When harmful bacteria overpopulate the small intestine, they ferment undigested carbohydrates, produce excess gas, and create osmotic pressure that accelerates gut motility. If diarrhea is your primary complaint, Dr. Giaquinto will evaluate for SIBO as part of his comprehensive digestive assessment.
Can emotional stress cause chronic constipation or diarrhea?
Absolutely. The gut-brain connection is powerful and bidirectional. Unprocessed emotional stress activates the sympathetic nervous system and dysregulates gut motility — leading to constipation in some patients and diarrhea in others. Dr. Giaquinto uses the Emotional Breathing Release Technique (EBRT) to release subconscious stress that is contributing to nervous system dysregulation and gut dysfunction.
What is the difference between functional diarrhea and an infection?
Infectious diarrhea is typically acute, caused by a pathogen (bacteria, virus, or parasite), and resolves within a few days to a few weeks. Functional diarrhea is chronic or recurring and stems from underlying imbalances in the nervous system, gut microbiome, enzyme production, or digestive chemistry — not from an active infection. If you’ve had recurring loose stools for months or years without a clear infectious cause, functional evaluation is warranted. Dr. Giaquinto specializes in identifying these underlying patterns and correcting them naturally.