Probiotics , fennel extract  and  spinal manipulation  show promise to alleviate symptoms of colic , although some concerns remain .
Background Infantile colic is a distressing condition characterised by excessive crying in the first few months of life .
The aim of this research was to up date the synthesis of evidence of complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ) research literature on infantile colic and establish what evidence is currently available .
Randomised controlled trial of infantile colic treated with chiropractic spinal manipulation
AIMS To investigate the efficacy of chiropractic spinal manipulation in the management of infantile colic . METHODS One hundred infants with typical colicky pain were recruited to a r and omised , blinded , placebo controlled clinical trial . RESULTS Nine infants were excluded because inclusion criteria were not met , and five dropped out , leaving 86 who completed the study . There was no significant effect of chiropractic spinal manipulation . Thirty two of 46 infants in the treatment group ( 69.9 % ) , and 24 of 40 in the control group ( 60.0 % ) , showed some degree of improvement . CONCLUSION Chiropractic spinal manipulation is no more effective than placebo in the treatment of infantile colic . This study emphasises the need for placebo controlled and blinded studies when investigating alternative methods to treat unpredictable conditions such as infantile colic
Probiotics , fennel extract  and  spinal manipulation  show promise to alleviate symptoms of colic , although some concerns remain .
Background Infantile colic is a distressing condition characterised by excessive crying in the first few months of life .
The aim of this research was to up date the synthesis of evidence of complementary and alternative medicine ( CAM ) research literature on infantile colic and establish what evidence is currently available .