Category: Bladder Pain

On April 23, 2024, the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research journal published a case study showing chiropractic helping a woman who had been suffering with chronic non obstructive urinary retention, (UR). Non obstructive UR can be a bladder weakness from muscle and nerve problems where there is an interference with signals between the brain and the bladder. If the nerves aren’t working properly, the person’s brain may not get the message that the bladder is full, and leakage or an overactive bladder can occur.

The study begins by pointing out, “Non obstructive urinary retention (UR) is considered a difficult disease to treat in women due to the high occurrence of urinary tract infections and renal function decrease.” Commonly, the first avenues of medical treatment include diet and lifestyle changes, pelvic floor muscle training, urinary bladder retraining, biofeedback, and drug therapies. If these medical procedures do not work, some patients then receive sacral neuromodulation, a therapy where an implant creates electrical stimulation to a sacral nerve root in hopes of changing the nerve function.

In this case, a 61-year-old woman presented herself to the chiropractor for an evaluation and possible care. The woman had been suffering for years with symptoms of urinary retention causing her to wake up 2-3 times a night to urinate. She also reported trouble feeling when her bladder was full as well as difficulty emptying her bladder and trouble starting to urinate.

The woman had been treated medically for her problem and had a sacral neuromodulation device, “InterStim,” surgically implanted. She reported that she had spent over $100,000 on this procedure and was being advised by her medical physician that if her problem did not improve, she would have to undergo the procedure again.

A chiropractic examination and spinal x-rays were performed. The results of the examination and x-rays showed a number of postural and spinal positional issues. The conclusion was that postural abnormalities were apparent with the presence of vertebral subluxations. Specific forms of chiropractic adjustments and procedures were initiated to address these findings.

The initial care involved 24 visits over a 60-day period. After that initial care, a re-evaluation was performed which showed objective improvements in the woman’s spine and posture. Additionally, she reported a resolution of her urinary retention problems that she had been suffering with for years and had spent thousands of dollars on.

In the study discussion, the author explains how chiropractic was able to help in this case by quoting the Foundation for Vertebral Subluxation, “…the unique role of the chiropractor is separate from other health disciplines and that the professional practice objective of chiropractors may be limited to the analysis, correction or stabilization of the subluxation.”

The author sums up this case by stating, “This case shows that the effect of spinal misalignment, through subluxation, can affect the nervous system. By taking pressure off of her nervous system over the course of 24 adjustments her bladder function was greatly improved, and incidental findings of various musculoskeletal conditions had their severity reduced.”

The Asian-Pacific Chiropractic Journal published a report in their 2023 fourth quarter issue documenting the case of a woman who, prior to receiving chiropractic care, was in severe neuropathic pain for so long that she considered ending her life. Neuropathic pain is nerve pain that is not the direct result of injury or tissue damage such as a cut or sprain.

WebMD describes this condition by stating, “Neuropathic pain is often described as a shooting or burning pain. It can go away on its own but is often chronic. Sometimes it is unrelenting and severe, and sometimes it comes and goes. It often is the result of nerve damage or a malfunctioning nervous system. The impact of nerve damage is a change in nerve function both at the site of the injury and areas around it.”

Chronic neuropathic pain has a profound effect on all aspects of a person’s life. Typical medical treatment for neuropathic pain is by the use of medications. However, in the absence of a healable wound or injury, medication can only temporarily mask the pain and does not address the underlying cause of the pain. In many cases, continually stronger medications are needed in order to be effective. This sets up a dangerous spiral of drug dependency.

In this case, a 49-year-old woman went to a chiropractor because she was suffering with severe chronic neuropathic pain in her head, neck, face, and shoulders. She rated the pain between a 5 and 10 with 10 being the worst. She reported that she was suffering with this pain for seven years. She noted that she had been to 14 health professionals and had not gotten any relief.

The woman reported that her situation led her to have suicidal thoughts, suffer with depression, and have insomnia. Because of the severity and longevity of the pain, the woman commented that she could no longer tolerate the pain, had lost the will to live, and was contemplating ending her life if she could not get relief.

A chiropractic examination was performed, and spinal x-rays were taken. Based on the results of the examination, specific forms of chiropractic care were started with the woman being initially seen multiple times per week.

At the time of her first re-evaluation, the woman reported feeling decreased pain in her low back and knees as well as reduced neuropathic pain. Considering that she had not gotten help from the previous 14 health professionals prior to getting chiropractic care, she considered this improvement to be substantial.

The woman also reported that she was suffering from fewer headaches, had greater mobility which allowed her to be more active, and had a more regular menstrual cycle. Additionally, she noted that she could handle stress better, noticed more self-positive thinking, and stated that her will to live had been restored.

As part of the study discussion, the authors commented, “It should be noted that while no extra care apart from Chiropractic was introduced at this time, the Chiropractor did not offer mental health support to have done so is beyond the scope of practice in this jurisdiction. The only care offered was nervous system support through checking and adjusting subluxations. It is likely that it was the reduction of pain and increase in movement and improved sleep leading to a better Quality of Life that allowed the patient to regain hope for a different future.”

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published the results of a case study on August 22, 2022, that documented the improvement in quality of life for a man suffering with Bickerstaff’s Brainstem Encephalitis, (BBE). BBE is a rare autoimmune inflammatory disorder that affects the central nervous system and can also affect the peripheral nervous system.

According to this study, BBE is extremely rare, having less than 100 cases reported. It is similar in symptoms and effect to Guillain-Barre syndrome. Symptoms usually include issues with speech, vision, muscle strength, and a wide variety of other neurological symptoms. Due to the rarity of BBE, medical treatment varies greatly and is geared toward helping with the symptoms of the disease.

In this case, a 31-year-old man went to the chiropractor after the man had received a medical diagnosis of BBE. Three and a half months earlier the man was reported to be a healthy individual. One morning he woke up “feeling rundown” and “just did not feel right.” The following day he could only urinate sporadically despite feeling the that his bladder was full.

A week and a half later the man started having tremors and weakness in his right leg. He also reported that he started having trouble swallowing while eating dinner. This continued to get worse until he could no longer eat. Multiple medical visits during this time resulted in little help.

By the third week the man was also having trouble speaking and was experiencing double vision. At this time the issue was grave enough that a feeding tube was inserted, and he was sent home. Despite all the medical treatments, he did not see any progress over the next two months.

One day while walking up stairs the man experienced extreme fatigue, a rapid heartbeat and light headedness which continued to get worse throughout the day. He was readmitted to the hospital where it was noted that he had left sided facial paralysis. With the variety of symptoms and no definitive findings the man was given the diagnosis of BBE and treatments of plasma exchange were started.

Upon seeking chiropractic care and relating his history, a chiropractic examination was performed which included spinal x-rays. The x-rays noted multiple areas of malpositioned vertebrae and abnormal curvatures including a reversal of the normal forward neck curve. It was determined that subluxations were present, and a course of specific chiropractic adjustments were started.

As care progressed the man was able to slightly swallow and eat solid foods for the first time since his BBE diagnosis. Chiropractic care was continued and within weeks the feeding tube was able to be removed and the man was able to eat solid food without trouble. Additionally many of his symptoms improved including better motion and an absence of pain in his neck shoulders and lower back.

In describing how chiropractic was able to help this man with Bickerstaff’s Brainstem Encephalitis, the authors of the study explained, “The positive results as described in this case show the possible connection between the disease and its associated symptoms in the presence of a vertebral subluxation. With reduction of subluxation, the body’s innate intelligence is able to function and focus on healing.”

On April 22, 2019, the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published the results of a case study of a woman who was suffering with pain in his chest wall and upper back, who had resolution of all symptoms under chiropractic care.

The study starts by noting that chest wall pain is a fairly common occurrence affecting between 20% and 40% of the population over their lifetime. The study reports that “…the incidence of a new diagnosis of chest pain has been placed at 15.5 per 1000 person-years and increases with age.” Men who have previously had a diagnoses of coronary heart disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease are most at risk of having a diagnosis of chest wall pain.

In this case, a 45-year-old woman, who was suffering with right-sided chest pain for the past two months, sought out a chiropractor for a consultation and possible care. The woman described her chest pain as achy and sometimes sharp. She explained that the pain was made worse by standing up from either a seated or lying position. She said the pain was always present and ranged from between a 5 out of 10 to a 8 out of 10, with 10 being the worst.

The woman first experienced the pain 9 months earlier when she was doing housecleaning activities that involved lifting boxes weighing between 10 to 20 pounds. Three days after the pain started, she saw a medical doctor who diagnosed her with reflux esophagitis and muscles spasms. She was given several medications which the woman reported did little to help her. After several days of the medications, she discontinued them due to getting serious side effects. Over the next several months, the woman saw a number of medical physicians who gave her a variety of opinions including a recommendation that she have her gall bladder removed. Her prior medical history revealed that she had undergone mitral valve replacement surgery 2 years prior and was currently on maintenance medications. She also had a past diagnosis of scoliosis.

A chiropractic examination with spinal x-rays was performed. From the examination, the woman was given a new diagnosis from the chiropractor of “painful rib syndrome in the context of chest wall syndrome secondary to vertebral subluxation.” Based on the new findings, and with the patient’s consent, chiropractic care was started at the rate of multiple visits per week.

The study reports that after the woman’s first adjustment, she felt an immediate decrease in her mid-upper back tension that had been present since she had her mitral valve replacement surgery 2 years ago. By her third visit, the woman reported that she was experiencing a 75% improvement in her pain severity and frequency. After approximately three weeks of specific chiropractic care, the woman was able to report that she was completely pain-free.