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Chiropractor for Colic & Reflux in Allen, TX
A chiropractor for colic offers gentle, fingertip-light care that some parents add once their baby's pediatrician has ruled out reflux disease, allergies and other causes of crying. At Trinity Life Chiropractic in Allen, TX, Dr. Colton O'Brien checks how your baby's neck, spine and hips move and uses light contacts aimed at comfort, alongside your pediatrician and with no twisting or cracking.
Written by the Trinity Life Chiropractic team · Updated October 2026
On this page
Key facts
- Who it's for
- Babies with colic-type crying or spit-up, after a pediatrician check
- Pediatrician first
- Rules out reflux disease (GERD), milk allergy, illness and feeding problems
- Pressure used
- Fingertip-light, with no twisting or cracking
- Evidence
- Research is still limited; no firm conclusion yet
- First visit
- $150 with Dr. O'Brien, including a full infant check
Few things are harder than a baby who cries for hours and can't be settled. If you're searching for a chiropractor for colic in Allen, you've probably already tried the swaddles, the bottles and the late-night drives. Colic care is part of our gentle pediatric chiropractic in Allen, and it always works alongside your pediatrician.
This page explains what colic and reflux are, what the research does and doesn't show, and what Dr. O'Brien actually does at a visit. For more depth, read our articles on chiropractic for colic and chiropractic and infant reflux.
Colic, reflux and GERD: what's the difference?
Colic is a pattern, not a disease. The NHS describes it as a baby who cries more than 3 hours a day, 3 days a week, for at least 1 week, but is otherwise healthy; it usually stops by 3 to 4 months[1]. No one knows exactly what causes it.
Reflux is milk coming back up during or after a feed. It's common, it usually starts before 8 weeks and gets better by the first birthday[2]. When reflux causes poor weight gain, feeding refusal or other problems, doctors call it reflux disease (GORD or GERD), and that needs medical care.
| Topic | Colic | Everyday reflux |
|---|---|---|
| What it looks like | Long bouts of crying, often in the evening, in a baby who is otherwise well | Milk coming up during or after feeds, sometimes coughing or fussing while feeding |
| When it starts | A few weeks after birth | Usually before 8 weeks |
| When it usually eases | By 3 to 4 months | By the first birthday |
| Who confirms it | Your pediatrician | Your pediatrician, who also checks for reflux disease |
Why your pediatrician comes first for a crying baby
Crying is how babies say something's wrong, and sometimes it's medical: reflux disease, a cow's milk protein allergy, an infection, a hernia or a feeding problem. Your pediatrician rules those out. Once they have, gentle chiropractic care is one option some families add for comfort while colic runs its course.
Safety first
When to call your pediatrician or 911 first
Don't wait for a chiropractic visit if your baby:
- Has a weak or high-pitched cry, or a cry that doesn't sound like their normal cry.
- Brings up green or yellow vomit, or vomit with blood in it, or vomits forcefully.
- Has blood in their poop, a swollen tummy or a fever.
- Refuses feeds, has fewer wet diapers or isn't gaining weight.
- Starts having reflux after 6 months, or still has it after their first birthday.
What happens at a chiropractic visit for colic or reflux?
Babies come in on a parent's lap or on a cushioned table, and you stay right beside them. A first visit follows these steps:
- Your story. Birth, feeding, sleep, what your pediatrician has said and what a bad evening looks like.
- Watching your baby move. Head turning, tummy time, how they feed and whether they favor one side.
- A gentle hands-on check. Neck, spine, jaw and hips, using light touch.
- Light, sustained contacts. About the pressure you'd use to test a ripe tomato, with no twisting or cracking.
- A plan for home. Holding and feeding positions, and when we'll check in again.
Every visit is fingertip-light, and we'll check in with you early and often instead of booking months of visits. If your baby isn't settling more easily, we'll say so.
If your baby always turns their head one way, we'll also look at torticollis in infants. If feeding is a struggle, it's worth reading about tongue tie, which a pediatric dentist or ENT assesses.
Signs of colic and reflux discomfort parents mention
These are the patterns we hear most from parents of colicky babies. Many overlap with medical problems, so mention every one of them to your pediatrician too:
- Arching the back during or after feeds.
- Preferring to turn the head to one side.
- Pulling off the breast or bottle and crying.
- Lots of gas, straining or infant constipation.
- Short, broken stretches of sleep.
How to soothe a colicky baby at home
Comfort ideas to try
- Hold your baby upright during feeds and for a while after.
- Burp often, including partway through a feed.
- Try gentle rocking, a walk in the stroller or a warm bath.
- Use steady background noise, like a fan or white-noise machine.
- Lay your baby flat on their back to sleep, without raising the head of the crib.
Looking after yourself
Hours of crying wear anyone down. If you feel overwhelmed, put your baby down somewhere safe, step away for a few minutes and call someone. Never shake a baby. Ask your pediatrician or a friend for help; you don't have to get through colic alone.
Does chiropractic help colic? What the research says
Research on chiropractic for colic is still limited. Small trials found parents reported less crying[3], but higher-quality trials found spinal manipulation no better than a sham treatment[4], and the NHS advises against spinal manipulation for colic[1].
Most side effects reported in young children are mild, such as extra crying or soreness[5], which is why care here stays fingertip-light, never an adult-style adjustment, and always sits alongside your pediatrician's advice.
Booking a chiropractor for colic in Allen, TX
The first visit is $150 and includes a 30-plus-minute consultation with Dr. O'Brien, a hands-on exam, a first adjustment if it's appropriate and a care-plan recommendation. Details are on the pediatric first visit special page, or call (214) 509-7744. If it helps, bring a few days of feeding and crying notes.
Questions about colic & reflux relief
Is chiropractic safe for a newborn with colic?
Infant care here uses fingertip-light pressure, with no twisting or cracking, and a parent stays beside the baby. Reviews of pediatric care report mostly mild, short-lived effects such as extra fussiness or sleepiness, but the evidence on safety in babies is limited. That's why your pediatrician should check your baby first, and why we keep visits gentle and short.
How many chiropractic visits does a baby with colic need?
There's no set number, and research can't tell us one. We'll check in with you early and often, and if you aren't seeing your baby settle more easily, we'll say so rather than keep booking visits. Colic also tends to ease on its own by 3 to 4 months, so we keep that in mind when we talk about a plan with you.
Our pediatrician says it's just colic. Should we still come?
Your pediatrician is right that most babies outgrow colic, and their check comes first. Once they've ruled out medical causes, some parents choose gentle chiropractic care for comfort in the meantime. It works alongside your pediatrician's advice, not instead of it, and we're happy to share what we find with them if you'd like us to.
Can my baby have chiropractic care while taking reflux medication?
Yes. Chiropractic care doesn't interact with medication, and it doesn't replace it. Any decision to start, change or stop reflux medication belongs to you and your pediatrician. Let us know what your baby takes and how feeds are going, and tell your pediatrician that you're seeing a chiropractor so everyone has the full picture.
Does colic mean something is wrong with my baby's spine?
No. Colic is a pattern of crying in a healthy baby, and its cause isn't known. Some babies also have tight neck muscles or favor one side after birth, which Dr. O'Brien checks for gently. Research hasn't shown that chiropractic changes how long colic lasts, so we see care as one comfort option alongside your pediatrician's advice, not a fix.
