Category: Erectile Dysfunction

The Journal of Clinical Medicine published the results of a study on March 30, 2024, that showed chiropractic helping three patients who had health issues resulting from spondylolistheses. According to the National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, “Spondylolisthesis is a condition that occurs when one vertebral body slips with respect to the adjacent vertebral body causing radicular or mechanical symptoms or pain. It is graded based on the degree of slippage of one vertebral body on the adjacent vertebral body.”

This study begins by explaining the impact that spinal pain can have on the overall quality of life and the residual effects the pain can have on organ functions. The authors also report that “Degenerative spondylolisthesis is prevalent in 6–31% of the United States population, with an elevated prevalence from 50 to 90 years of age and where the female to male ratio is 5 to 1.”

This study reports on a case series involving three patients who went to a spinal rehabilitation facility for low back pain. All three patients had the following findings on their initial chiropractic visits: All three had significant lower back pain, and suffered from urgency of urination issues. Additionally, all had x-rays that showed an increase in their lower back curvature along with the visible presence of spondylolistheses. Included in this study was a man, age 68, and two women, ages 71 and 69.

All three patients were initially asked to fill out a 36-question health-related quality of life (HRQOL) questionnaire that could be compared to the same form later in their chiropractic care. This HRQOL is then scored from 0 to 100 with 100 being the highest rating of a good quality of life. This rating is divided into a physical component score (PCS) with a normal rating of 46.8, and a mental component score (MCS) with the normal being 52.8 out of 100.

Specific forms of chiropractic care were performed on the patients for between a 12 and 41 week dependent upon their specific spinal findings. The initial scores for the PCS and MCS were compared to those after the chiropractic care program as well as over a year after the care was rendered.

The man had initial scores of 21.8 for his PCS and 42.2 for his MCS score. After care the man’s scores increased to 44.1 for his PCS and 62.7 for his MCS. The 71-year-old woman’s initial PCS score was 32.6, which increased to 51.7 after care. Her MCS score went initially from 53.8 to 57.5 after care. The other woman, who was 69 years old, had an initial PCS score of 35.0 which raised to 54.8 after chiropractic care, while her MCS score went from 43.5 to 52.7. Over one year after chiropractic care had started, all three patients maintained higher scores in both categories.

In addition to the self-reported benefits in pain and quality of life as shown in their scores, all three patients also had improvements in their spondylolistheses as shown on their x-rays. Additionally, all three reported improvements in their urinary function issues.

The authors of the study commented on the success of chiropractic care in these cases by stating, “This case documents the first recorded long-term successful treatment of three senior patients (two females and one male) aged 68 to 71 years showing improvements in back pain, QOL, and urinary dysfunction following the correction of lumbar lordosis and reduction in lumbar spondylolistheses…” They also added, “This study adds to the growing body of research for healthcare providers and educators who can benefit from a better understanding of the impact of spinal health on human physiology and potential treatment options.”

In the journal The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research is the result of a case study published on June 29, 2020, documenting the improvement on heart rate variability of a patient under chiropractic care. The importance of heart rate variability is that is can shed light on the overall function of the autonomic nervous system.

The study begins by noting that “The autonomic nervous system is understood to have two branches, the sympathetic nervous system and the parasympathetic nervous system.” It goes on to further explain that “Both branches of the autonomic nervous system play a critical role in the overall picture of health, as both are critically necessary in their own respect and must work in tandem for optimum health to be achieved.”

The heart is predominantly under the control of the autonomic nervous system. In response to activities, the heart should vary the rate at which it beats. A lower rate of variability means the heart is not reacting properly to change which is an indicator of health issues. A higher heart rate variability, but not too high, is a healthier response.

Chiropractors have maintained that subluxations to the spine affect nerve system function. This could then have a negative effect on heart rate variability. In this study, a 38-year-old man went to the chiropractor primarily for lower back pain that started two weeks earlier.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included palpation, range of motion, spinal thermal scans, surface EMG scan and spinal x-rays. A significant reduction in the man’s spinal range of motion was noted. Additionally, a pulse wave profiler was utilized to determine the man’s heart rate variability to see if there could be subluxations affecting the autonomic nervous system.

The authors explained why this procedure was done by saying, “The effects of chiropractic care on autonomic dysfunction can be analyzed through heart rate variability. This helps determine one’s overall ability to adapt to the environment.”

From the examination, it was determined that subluxations were present. A series of specific chiropractic spinal adjustments were done to address the subluxations. On a subsequent re-examination, the man’s symptoms had improved. The pulse wave profiler was again used to access any changes to the heart rate variability. On this follow-up evaluation, significant increase in the heart rate variability was noted indicating improved function of the autonomic nervous system.

In their conclusion the study authors state, “Heart rate variability is demonstrated to be a valid and reliable indicator of overall health and indicates that a decreased heart rate variability is consistent with poor health and autonomic function.” They go on to say, “Evidence supports that chiropractic care should be utilized for individuals who demonstrate autonomic dysfunction.”