Common Colic Treatments
Colic was first defined in 1954 as prolonged crying in otherwise healthy babies, often lasting up to three months before resolving on its own. Decades later, the exact cause of colic remains unknown, and no proven cure exists. While remedies like gripe water, gas drops, homeopathic treatments, and soothing techniques can sometimes calm babies temporarily, they have not been shown to address the root cause or stop colic entirely.
Soothing Techniques for Temporary Colic Relief
Various soothing techniques can help calm a colicky baby temporarily, but they do not address the root cause if intestinal gas or abdominal pressure is causing pain.
- Swaddling: We generally discourage swaddling, as tight swaddling or placing a baby on their back may worsen abdominal pain, especially if the belly is bloated.
- Positioning (Side or Stomach): Changing a baby’s position can help move trapped gas and relieve pressure. Side-lying or stomach positions may offer temporary relief, though stomach-sleeping should be approached cautiously and with supervision.
- Shushing Sounds: Making shushing noises can distract the baby and soothe mild discomfort, but it won’t help if the pain is severe.
- Swinging or Rocking: Gentle motion can shift gas pockets in the intestines, providing short-term relief. Always support the baby’s head and neck to prevent injury.
- Sucking: Breastfeeding or pacifiers can stimulate the digestive system and temporarily ease discomfort, but overfeeding may worsen abdominal pressure and increase spit-up or vomiting. Some severely colicky babies may resist pacifiers if in pain.
Chiropractic Adjustment for colic
With forty years of experience in chiropractic care, I initially treated colicky babies with spinal adjustments, but results were inconsistent. After years of observing patterns and refining my approach, I developed an alternative gentle technique that can provide noticeable relief—about 25% improvement after the first visit and complete resolution of colic symptoms within 8–10 visits for most babies without other major health issues.
A major challenge remains public perception: many parents are still hesitant to try chiropractic care for their infants due to fear or misunderstanding. While our treatment does not involve traditional spinal manipulation, it is highly effective for colic. Over time, as more people understand the benefits of chiropractic care, more babies will have access to this safe and helpful treatment.
A major challenge remains public perception: many parents are still hesitant to try chiropractic care for their infants due to fear or misunderstanding. While our treatment does not involve traditional spinal manipulation, it is highly effective for colic. Over time, as more people understand the benefits of chiropractic care, more babies will have access to this safe and helpful treatment.
Colic Calm, Gripe Water, and Medications
While some products like Colic Calm and Gripe Water may provide temporary relief for colicky babies, they rarely address the underlying cause. In my experience, colic is primarily linked to digestive issues, particularly problems with the ilio-cecal valve, which can be worsened by some products or foods rather than improved. These remedies might ease discomfort briefly, but symptoms often return or intensify.
Prescription medications are rarely used for colic today due to serious side effects. Medications are often prescribed for symptoms like projectile vomiting, sometimes labeled as acid reflux, but most cases are actually caused by intestinal gas pressure and overfeeding rather than true acid reflux. True acid reflux shows additional signs, such as gagging or difficulty swallowing, which are generally not present in colicky babies. Click here to learn more about how colic can cause spitting up in babies.
Prescription medications are rarely used for colic today due to serious side effects. Medications are often prescribed for symptoms like projectile vomiting, sometimes labeled as acid reflux, but most cases are actually caused by intestinal gas pressure and overfeeding rather than true acid reflux. True acid reflux shows additional signs, such as gagging or difficulty swallowing, which are generally not present in colicky babies. Click here to learn more about how colic can cause spitting up in babies.
The Colic Doc's Treatment for ColicDespite decades of research, the exact cause of colic remains unknown, and conventional treatments—including medications for acid reflux—often fail to relieve symptoms. Many babies diagnosed with colic are now labeled with acid reflux, but medications rarely stop spit-up or projectile vomiting. Colic is more than just “three months of crying”—it causes real pain and emotional stress for both babies and families.
Over forty years of treating colicky babies, I’ve developed a proven, gentle technique that reduces colic symptoms and provides relief, often within a few weeks. While each baby is unique, the treatment works consistently by addressing the underlying digestive issues rather than just masking the symptoms. |
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Doc Explains:
Common Colic Treatments
In 1954 Dr. Henry Wessel described colic as a baby crying inconsolably for three hours a day, at least three days per week, for at least three weeks, and lasting up to three months, by which point, it would usually clear up. Dr. Wessel said that no person really knew what was causing this and no one knew how to treat this condition successfully. He also stated that in his opinion, this was not a serious health problem, considering the baby was not physically sick with anything else.
Today there has been very little change in the diagnosis of Colic, and they still have not found a cause for this condition. Medical experts claim that there is no known treatment for Colic, while the medical community estimates that approximately 25% of the baby population has this condition. Over the years, there have been many people who have claimed to have found various treatments for symptoms such as gripe water, gas drops, simethicone drops, colic calm, and a few others others. However, the overall opinion is that these treatments are overall ineffective and unpredictable in treating what is still known as colic.
The medical community has ruled out the use of medication for colic because of side effects that could potentially cause serious harm to the baby. They maintain that this condition should self-correct itself in about three months, and again, do not recommend the use of medication. This being said, we now see many homeopathic remedies strongly promoted because they do not seem to create any harmful effects that will hurt the baby. The downside is that the homeopathic remedies do not help fix colic either, they actually, in many cases, have made the colic worse.
Various other things have been invented to help with colic, such as swings that keep the baby in an elevated position and keep the baby in constant motion. Other products, such as blankets for swaddling or carrying the baby around in an upright position could also help. These inventions have, in many cases, proved helpful in soothing the baby, but it have never proven to treat the actual condition or eliminate the cause; they are mainly soothing techniques.
Dr. Harvey Karp has written a book called "5 S's". The S's represent the five main soothing techniques for easing some of the crying associated with colic, but they too have never proven to eliminate the cause of the condition. Dr. Karp also has some interesting theories about colic, one of which being that babies are born three months early. He feels that babies should be born at twelve months instead of nine because the babies digestive system is premature. Since colic is only supposed to last approximately three months, then theoretically at twelve months the problems associated with colic would no longer exist. If people are interested in more of Dr. Karp’s soothing techniques or his opinions on colic, he has written several books on the subject, which can be easily purchased. As far as my experience with these soothing techniques goes, I find that they can be helpful in periodically easing a baby's crying, however, they just do not seem effective in curing the actual condition.
Today there has been very little change in the diagnosis of Colic, and they still have not found a cause for this condition. Medical experts claim that there is no known treatment for Colic, while the medical community estimates that approximately 25% of the baby population has this condition. Over the years, there have been many people who have claimed to have found various treatments for symptoms such as gripe water, gas drops, simethicone drops, colic calm, and a few others others. However, the overall opinion is that these treatments are overall ineffective and unpredictable in treating what is still known as colic.
The medical community has ruled out the use of medication for colic because of side effects that could potentially cause serious harm to the baby. They maintain that this condition should self-correct itself in about three months, and again, do not recommend the use of medication. This being said, we now see many homeopathic remedies strongly promoted because they do not seem to create any harmful effects that will hurt the baby. The downside is that the homeopathic remedies do not help fix colic either, they actually, in many cases, have made the colic worse.
Various other things have been invented to help with colic, such as swings that keep the baby in an elevated position and keep the baby in constant motion. Other products, such as blankets for swaddling or carrying the baby around in an upright position could also help. These inventions have, in many cases, proved helpful in soothing the baby, but it have never proven to treat the actual condition or eliminate the cause; they are mainly soothing techniques.
Dr. Harvey Karp has written a book called "5 S's". The S's represent the five main soothing techniques for easing some of the crying associated with colic, but they too have never proven to eliminate the cause of the condition. Dr. Karp also has some interesting theories about colic, one of which being that babies are born three months early. He feels that babies should be born at twelve months instead of nine because the babies digestive system is premature. Since colic is only supposed to last approximately three months, then theoretically at twelve months the problems associated with colic would no longer exist. If people are interested in more of Dr. Karp’s soothing techniques or his opinions on colic, he has written several books on the subject, which can be easily purchased. As far as my experience with these soothing techniques goes, I find that they can be helpful in periodically easing a baby's crying, however, they just do not seem effective in curing the actual condition.
Click the link below to read more about the following techniques that may temporarily help with Colic and Acid Reflux:
1.) The Five S's (Soothing Techniques that May Help your Baby)
2.) Chiropractic Spinal Adjustment
3.) Medicinal Treatments
1.) The Five S's (Soothing Techniques that May Help your Baby)
2.) Chiropractic Spinal Adjustment
3.) Medicinal Treatments
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This information is educational and not a substitute for professional medical care. Always talk with your pediatrician about your baby’s health.
