Tongue Tie Chiropractor in Arnold, MO

A tongue tie (ankyloglossia) happens when the strip of tissue connecting the underside of the tongue to the floor of the mouth is too short, thick, or tight, restricting the full range of motion the tongue needs for effective nursing or bottle feeding.

When a baby can’t move their tongue freely, they can’t latch deeply or efficiently. That leads to a chain reaction of problems: painful nursing for mom, poor milk transfer, excessive gas and reflux from air swallowing, clicking sounds while feeding, slow weight gain, and an exhausted, frustrated baby. The same air-swallowing and tension patterns often show up as colic, which is why many tongue-tied babies are fussy and hard to settle.

Many families are told the tongue tie release (frenectomy) will fix everything. And sometimes it does. But often, it doesn’t, because the release addresses the tissue, not the underlying tension patterns in the jaw, neck, and nervous system that built up around it. Babies who have been compensating for restricted tongue movement often hold significant tension through their entire body, especially the head, neck, and cranial bones. Without releasing that tension through bodywork, the release may not have the full effect families hoped for.

This is exactly why working with a chiropractor who specializes in craniosacral therapy before and after a tongue tie release is now considered best practice by many IBCLCs, pediatric dentists, and ENTs.