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Long Term Maintenance Chiropractic Continues to Show Spinal Improvement

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of a case study on July 20, 2022, documenting the correction over time of spinal vertebrae in the neck. The study is titled, “Reducing Cervical Retrolisthesis With Long-Term Monthly Chiropractic Maintenance Care: A Case Report.” What is unique about this study is it showed that spinal positional correction continued to take place years after the chiropractic care started and entered the maintenance portion of care.

Many patients begin chiropractic care for the alleviation of symptoms, commonly musculoskeletal types of pain. In a number of these cases, patients will discontinue their care when they feel better, and the symptoms are gone. These patients skip maintenance care with the assumption that if the problem returns, they can simply go back to the chiropractor to gain relief again.

In this case study, a 44-year-old woman sought out chiropractic care for help with multiple symptoms. The history showed that the woman was suffering with neck pain, numbness, and tingling that was radiating down her right forearm and hand. She also experienced intermittent shoulder stiffness. These problems had been occurring for the previous 12 months.

The woman had originally seen an orthopedist for her problems and was treated with traction and medications. Having seen no benefit from the medical care, the woman decided to try chiropractic.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included spinal range of motion, some orthopedic exam procedures, grip strength measurements, spinal x-rays and a World Health Organization Quality of Life (WHOQOL) assessment. The WHOQOL assessment ranges from 0 to 100 with 100 being the best. The WHO website describes this test by stating, “WHO defines Quality of Life as an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards and concerns.” In this case, the woman rated her quality of life as a 64 out of 100.

Chiropractic care was started at the rate of three visits per week for the first month. After this point, the frequency of care was reduced and continued for three months. At the three month point, the patient reported that her symptoms were totally alleviated, and she had regained full neck mobility. She also reported that she had stopped all pain medications. The woman’s WHOQOL score improved from 64 to 98 indicating a vast improvement in her quality of life.

Subsequently, the woman began chiropractic maintenance care and continued this care schedule for 13 years. Periodically, as well as at the 13-year wellness point, x-rays were taken to monitor the process of the woman’s spine. These x-rays showed that improvement in her spine continued to be visible as maintenance care continued. The latest x-rays showed that spinal changes and improvement continued long after the initial phase of chiropractic care.

“Many insurance programs and governmental programs do not cover maintenance care because they consider it to be not medically necessary and of no benefit to the restoration of health,” says Dr. Selina Sigafoose-Jackson, president of the International Chiropractors Association. Dr. Sigafoose-Jackson continued, “This study highlights that chiropractic maintenance care continues to have corrective outcomes in addition to the benefits of maintaining good health.”

August 12, 2022
Bedwetting Resolved with Chiropractic Care

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, Chiropractic, published the results of a case study on August 8, 2022, documenting the resolution of bedwetting in a young boy after starting chiropractic care.

John Hopkins Medical Center describes this problem on their website. “Urinary incontinence (enuresis) is the medical term for bedwetting. Incontinence is accidental or intentional urination in children who are at an age where they should be able to have control of their bladders. Girls usually obtain bladder control before boys do. Incontinence may be diagnosed in girls older than age 5 and in boys who are older than age 6 who are still having urinary control problems.”

Nighttime bedwetting is known as nocturnal enuresis. The study explains how common this issue is by stating, “…the prevalence of enuresis was 25% in children who were age four, 23% in children who were age five, 10% in children who were age seven, 4% in children who were age ten, and in adults ages 16-40 it was seen in 2.6% of the population.” The condition is twice as likely to occur in boys than in girls.

In this case, a 10-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor by his parents. The boy was experiencing bedwetting since he was approximately two and a half years old. Over the past seven years, he had not had three dry nights in a row. It was also recorded that the boy had shoulder pain that started after he fell off a skateboard. The boy was not receiving any other types of medical care for these problems.

A chiropractic examination was performed that included measuring the spinal range of motion, palpation of the spine, and spinal x-rays. The results of the examination found that there were no underlying pathologies. However, it was determined that there were multiple areas of vertebral subluxations present.

Subluxations are vertebrae that are out of their proper alignment that are causing interference to the function of the nervous system. Subluxations can alter parts of the nerve system that can alter body functions such as the urinary bladder and the sphincters that control the flow of urine. It is this mechanism that can result in issues of bladder function leading to enuresis.

Based upon these findings, specific chiropractic adjustments were started to address the subluxations. After the first adjustment, it was reported that the boy had three successive dry nights, something that had not occurred in the prior seven years. As care continued, the bedwetting continued to improve from what was initially almost a nightly issue, to only three occurrences on the last three months included in this case study.

In the study conclusion the authors summed up the results of this case by stating, “This case study presents the effects of subluxation-based chiropractic care on the management of a 10-year-old with enuresis.” They continued by noting that with the use of specific chiropractic adjustments to correct subluxations, “…the patient received specific intersegmental adjustments, and experienced a reduction in the symptoms of enuresis. After 8 months of chiropractic care, the patient reported only two incidents over a 3-month time period. Prior to the start of care the patient wet the bed almost every night since the age of 2.5 to 10 years old.”

August 12, 2022
Has Chiropractic Gone to the Pigs?

There have been many case studies on chiropractic for animals. Most of these cases are on dogs or horses. A new study published on June 28, 2022, in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research looks at chiropractic care for a group of pigs. This study looked from the farmer’s perspective on how chiropractic affected the expenses for the feed harvesting of the pigs who received chiropractic, compared to those that did not.

The title of the study is, “Chiropractic Directed at Subluxation Reduction Improves Speed of Harvest Rate, Reduces Feed Costs and Increases Feed Efficiency in Piglets: A Controlled Field Study of Rate of Gain in 109 Piglets.” This study could have a profound impact on pig farmers and their bottom-line profitability, as well as the price of the food for consumers.

In this study, 109 piglets weaned on the same day were included in the study. From the total number of pigs, some were assigned to a group that received chiropractic adjustments, while the remainder did not receive chiropractic. The pigs assigned to the chiropractic group were adjusted and tagged for identification. When the pigs grew and were moved to the “fattening pen”, those in the chiropractic group received a second adjustment. The non-chiropractic pigs were handled in the exact same manner but were not given chiropractic adjustments. The pigs are eventually sent to be harvests when they have reached a large enough weight.

The results of the study showed that on average the pigs that received chiropractic adjustments were able to be harvested six days earlier than the non-chiropractic group. Livestock that can be harvested sooner will reduce expenditures for the farmer in feed, medical care, and housing. This reduction of expense can then be passed on to market in the way of lower costs to consumers.

The researchers explained how chiropractic can have this effect on animals. “Chiropractic addresses vertebral subluxations in the spinal column by delivering a high velocity, short lever thrust by hand or with an instrument. A subluxation is defined as a shift in the normal structure of one vertebrae in reference to the vertebrae on either side of it. This shift can cause a biomechanical change that can interfere with the nervous system.” If the nervous system is functioning properly, the pigs can grow faster and healthier thus reducing costs.

The implications for chiropractic being introduced into the farming of livestock could have a profound effect on farmers and consumers. In their conclusion the study authors wrote, “Animal chiropractic in a livestock production setting has strong potential to address many challenges the American agriculture producer faces while raising a high-quality end product.” They projected that if chiropractic were implemented in a larger scale the impact would be considerable. They stated “… animal chiropractic implemented on a large scale could result in a huge reduction in feed utilization, therefore making a more sustainable and more affordable end product.”

July 12, 2022
Remission of Headaches and Neck Pain Following Chiropractic in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis

The Chiropractic Journal of Australia published the results of a case study on February 8, 2022, documenting chiropractic care helping a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), get relief from headaches and neck pain.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, “Neurofibromatoses are a group of genetic disorders that cause tumors to form on nerve tissue. These tumors can develop anywhere in the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and nerves.” Type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF1) is the most common type and can lead to a variety of other health issues including scoliosis, bone healing problems, bone cysts, bone thinning, and a variety of musculoskeletal pain.

In this case, a 25-year-old man who had been diagnosed ten years earlier with type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF1) sought chiropractic care for help with pain he was having on the right side of the head and neck for the previous six months. He rated his neck pain as 2 out of 10, with 10 being the worst, and rated his head pain as 8 out of 10. The man described his head pain as a pulsating squeezing around the right forehead, that lasted about an hour that occurred 2-3 times each day.

A chiropractic examination and x-rays showed restricted neck motion, multiple sensitive areas of the cervical spine, and a loss of the normal forward neck curve as measured on the x-rays. Based on the findings, and to assist with the significant pain the man was experiencing, chiropractic care was started daily for the first week. Within that first week, the man reported a decrease in his head pain from a previous 8 out of 10, down to 5 out of 10.

After four weeks of chiropractic care, the man reported a significant reduction in his headaches and neck pain as well as improved sleep and a decreased reliance on the medication he was taking for the pain. As care continued, the man reported continued improvement until he was asymptomatic.

Several months into his care, the man discontinued chiropractic and noticed that his headaches started to return. Upon re-starting chiropractic, his headaches quickly disappeared. New spinal x-rays were taken at that time and showed an improvement in his neck curvature over the original x-rays. The man then opted to continue maintenance chiropractic.

The study reports that five years later, the man was still under maintenance care and was asymptomatic with no return of the initial signs or symptoms while being able to engage in normal activities of his daily life. New final neck x-rays also showed a continual improvement of the man’s neck curvature.

In their conclusion the study authors wrote, “This case report details the long-term recovery of a patient with NF1 from severe headaches and neck pain following chiropractic treatment. It provides evidence and highlights the value of chiropractic intervention in improving neuromuscular functions and resolving cervicogenic headache in a patient with NF1, especially when the problems cannot be effectively solved by pharmacological or other conservative means. Chiropractic manipulative therapy may be a viable option as conservative management of musculoskeletal dysfunction resulting from NF1.”

July 12, 2022
Successful Vaginal Birth After Cesarean – A Chiropractic Case Study

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of a case study on June 3, 2022, documenting the successful vaginal delivery of a baby from a woman who had previously delivered her two children via cesarean, after receiving chiropractic care,

According to the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus, “A Cesarean section (C-section) is surgery to deliver a baby. The baby is taken out through the mother’s abdomen. In the United States, almost one in three women has their babies this way. Some C-sections are planned, but many are done when unexpected problems happen during delivery.”

Years ago, it was believed that once a cesarean was performed, the mother would no longer be able to deliver a baby vaginally. However, with the higher rates of morbidity (serious health consequences) associated cesarean, it is now considered desirable to return to vaginal births when possible, even after a cesarean birth.

In this case, a 40-year-old woman who was 33 weeks into her pregnancy, went to the chiropractor because of the severe hip pain she was experiencing. The woman rated the pain as 7/10 with 10 being the worst. She stated that she had never had this pain before, and that any movement aggravated her pain. This was the woman’s 4th pregnancy, with the two previous children having been delivered via cesarean.

After a chiropractic examination, determination was made that subluxations were present and specific chiropractic care was initiated. The care included the “Webster Technique” a specific chiropractic procedure developed to assist pregnant women.

Within several visits of starting chiropractic care, the woman reported that her pain had reduced from 7/10 to 4/10. Shortly thereafter, in her 40th week or pregnancy, the woman went into labor and delivered a healthy, 10 pound, 6 ounce baby girl.

In their discussion the authors summed up the benefit of chiropractic for pregnant women by stating, “Giving women the power and ability to give birth in a way that foregoes an unnecessary cesarean section may allow for a safer and more satisfying birth experience for both the woman and infant. Educating women on chiropractic care and especially the Webster Technique to address the biomechanical issues that may inhibit a woman from having a natural birth may give the power back to women and decrease the likelihood of an unnecessary cesarean section.”

July 12, 2022
Dizziness and Neck Pain Resolved with Chiropractic

The Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published the results of a case study on June 16, 2022, documenting the chiropractic resolution of cervicogenic dizziness and neck pain in a patient who had been suffering with these problems for a year.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s Archives of Physiology, “Cervicogenic dizziness is characterized by the presence of imbalance, unsteadiness, disorientation, neck pain, limited cervical range of motion (ROM), and may be accompanied by a headache. The cervical spine may be considered the cause of the dizziness when all other potential causes of dizziness are excluded.”

The study begins by explaining that “Cervicogenic dizziness is often distinguished from other forms of dizziness by both complaints of neck or suboccipital pain, and should be related to changes within the cervical spine. Another key differentiating factor is the onset of symptoms after cervical trauma; seen in one third of patients.”

In this case, a 49-year-old woman sought out chiropractic care to see if she could be helped with her problems. The woman was suffering with upper neck pain and discomfort for the past year. Her pain was correlated with dizziness that she was having when the neck pain occurred. Her pain and dizziness started after a fall out of an Acro yoga apparatus. The woman fell about one meter directly onto her head on a concrete floor. Her symptoms affected her daily life and her ability to work at a desk for more than two hours.

A chiropractic examination was performed which revealed altered ranges of motion in her neck both globally as well as for certain cervical segments. Spinal neck x-rays were also taken to determine the positioning of the vertebrae in her neck. From the results of the tests, it was determined that subluxations were present and a course of specific chiropractic care was started to address the subluxations.

On the woman’s second visit, after her first adjustment, she made the comment that “feel(s) like my head is on correctly.” She also reported that she had not had any dizziness since her first adjustment. On the woman’s fourth visit, she reported that she was “back to pre-injury function and feeling great”. As care continued, she continued to state that she felt great. Follow-up exam procedures also showed structural and functional improvements.

In their conclusion, the authors wrote that her chiropractic care “… was associated with resolution of cervicogenic dizziness and upper cervical pain, improved spinal range of motion, reduced presence of vertebral subluxation and improvements in self-reported measures of pain and function.”

July 12, 2022
Blocking Inflammation May Lead To Chronic Pain

Above is the headline of an article from Neuroscience News published on May 11, 2022. This article, as well as several more in other publications, reports on a study published in Science Translational Medicine on May 13, 2022. The study showed that using anti-inflammatory medications for acute pain may actually cause the problem to get worse and lead to chronic pain.

The Science Translational Medicine study stated, “…clinical data showed that the use of anti-inflammatory drugs was associated with increased risk of persistent pain, suggesting that anti-inflammatory treatments might have negative effects on pain duration.”

The article in Neuroscience News begins by clearly explaining that “Using anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids to relieve pain could increase the chances of developing chronic pain, according to researchers from McGill University and colleagues in Italy.” The article quotes Jeffrey Mogil, a Professor in the Department of Psychology at McGill University and E. P. Taylor Chair in Pain Studies, “For many decades it’s been standard medical practice to treat pain with anti-inflammatory drugs. But we found that this short-term fix could lead to longer-term problems.”

The study suggests that inflammation, a normal response to injury, is needed to create healing. Blocking the inflammation can actually prevent the normal healing and turn a short-term problem into a long-term chronic issue. Professor Mogil explains, “Neutrophils dominate the early stages of inflammation and set the stage for repair of tissue damage. Inflammation occurs for a reason, and it looks like it’s dangerous to interfere with it.”

The study found that taking anti-inflammatory drugs block neutrophils which are white blood cells that help the body begin the healing process. The study looked at 98 people who were suffering with lower back pain. The researchers observed that the patients whose back pain eventually went away had significantly more neutrophils in their blood compared to those who continued to suffer with the pain.

In noting how huge a shift this new information is from common medical practice, Dr. Thomas Buchheit, director of the regenerative pain therapies program at Duke, had a different view. “People overuse the term ‘paradigm shift’, but this is absolutely a paradigm shift.” He added, “There is this unspoken rule: If it hurts, take an anti-inflammatory, and if it still hurts, put a steroid on it.” But based on this new study Dr. Buchheit now suggests “… we have to think of healing and not suppression of inflammation.”

Dr. Selina Sigafoose-Jackson, president of the International Chiropractors Association and a practicing chiropractor in York, Pennsylvania responded to the study by stating, “This new study confirms that the body’s normal processes should not be interfered with. Healing best occurs when there is a removal of interference to the body’s own natural healing processes. The chiropractic approach has always been to remove any nerve system interference caused by subluxations, thus allowing the body to heal itself. This approach has been clinically shown to be more effective and safer than the use of medications.”

June 13, 2022
Study Links Chiropractic Care to Lower Costs, Faster Return to Work

On May 18, 2022, the publication Claims Journal published an article with the above title. The article was based on a study by the Workers Compensation Research Institute published on May 17, 2022, with the title, “Chiropractic Care for Workers with Low Back Pain.”

In this study, researchers reviewed more than 2 million open and closed workers compensation claims from 28 U.S. states, with injuries that occurred between October 1, 2015, through September 30, 2017. The states that were included were Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

The article in Claims Journal starts by addressing the incorrect notions regarding the costs of chiropractic care for workers compensation cases. “Chiropractors are involved in only a small fraction of workers’ compensation claims for low back pain in states where insurers or employers control the choice of medical provider, but a report released Tuesday suggests that skepticism about runaway costs may be unfounded.”

The researchers examined the claims from the over 2 million workers compensation claims and compared the patients who received only chiropractic care to those workers who received no chiropractic care at all, and to workers who received services from both chiropractors and other types of providers.

When comparing the costs of care for injured workers who received only chiropractic care, the cost was much less for those who received only chiropractic. The average cost for those patients who only received chiropractic care was $1,366 as compared to $3,522 for treatment of those who did not receive any chiropractic at all. This shows that chiropractic care was 61% less expensive than other forms of care for injured worked with lower back pain.

When chiropractic care was added to other forms of care, the cost savings was less, but still considerable with the average case costing $3001 per case. This showed that when only chiropractic was delivered the biggest cost savings was realized.

The study also noted that the patients who were exclusively cared for by chiropractors had less diagnostic imaging studies and significantly fewer opioid prescriptions. Only 1% of those under only chiropractic care wound up receiving an opioid prescription compared to 10.3% of claimants receiving an opioid prescription who did not get chiropractic care.

Workers Compensation Research Institute President and Chief Executive Officer John Ruser reacted to the study by stating, “This study will be helpful for policymakers and stakeholders who are interested in re-evaluating the role of chiropractors, especially those who have been adopting evidence-based practices and contributing to cost-effective care.”

June 13, 2022
Essential Tremors Reduced in Elderly Man Under Chiropractic

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published the results of a case showing the reduction in essential tremors for an elderly man receiving chiropractic care. According to the Mayo Clinic website, “Essential tremor is a nervous system (neurological) disorder that causes involuntary and rhythmic shaking. It can affect almost any part of your body, but the trembling occurs most often in your hands — especially when you do simple tasks, such as drinking from a glass or tying shoelaces. Essential tremor is usually not a dangerous condition, but it typically worsens over time and can be severe in some people.”

The study begins by noting that essential tremors are a common condition in the elderly affecting about 5% of that population. Essential tremors are different than the tremors from Parkinson’s disease in that essential tremors are in the upper extremities 95% of the time and are present during movement of the upper extremities unlike Parkinson’s which are present while resting.

Common medical treatment usually involves medications such as beta blockers, anti-seizure drugs, tranquilizers, or even Botox injections. These treatments have mixed results and often include significant side effects and risks.

In this case, a 75-year-old man suffering with tremors affecting both hands went to the chiropractor to see if he could be helped. The man described his tremors as spasms that were pounding, dull and crawling, and were often accompanied by pain. He explained that his tremors started many years ago but had been getting progressively worse over the past four years.

In describing his tremors using a 0 to 10 scale, with 10 being the worst, he rated his problem as a 5/10 at its best and a 9/10 at the worst. The tremors interfered with his daily activities including eating and writing. He was on several medications that had little effect. He reported that the only thing that could relieve his tremors was alcohol consumption.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included a comprehensive neurological assessment, postural analysis, orthopedic evaluation, active range of motion, palpation, and spinal x-rays. The conclusion of the examination was the presence of multiple areas of vertebral subluxations present in the man’s spine. From this, the man was started on a regime of regular specific chiropractic adjustments to address the subluxations.

After 12 chiropractic visits, the man underwent a re-evaluation to determine the progress made. In addition to improvements noted in the results of the exam procedures, the man reported that he could notice a 50% reduction in his tremors. Because of this improvement, he was able to write more efficiently and was able to eat breakfast cereal with a spoon more easily. The authors concluded, “Chiropractic care resulted in significant decrease of essential tremors for this patient.”

June 13, 2022
Chiropractic Resolution of Breech Presentation Confirmed by Ultrasound

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of a case study on June 3, 2022, documenting the successful resolution of a breech pregnancy with chiropractic care. The correction was documented using before and after ultrasound studies.

The American Pregnancy Association describes a breech presentation by explaining, “In the last weeks of pregnancy, a baby usually moves so his or her head is positioned to come out of the vagina first during birth. This is called a vertex presentation. A breech presentation occurs when the baby’s buttocks, feet, or both are positioned to come out first during birth. This happens in 3–4% of full-term births.”

In this case, a 30-year-old woman who was in her 39th week of pregnancy with her fifth child, went to a chiropractor. Her OB/GYN had confirmed via ultrasound that her baby was breech. Although she had never been to a chiropractor before, she decided to seek chiropractic care because of the positive results other patients have had, and because she had learned about the positive results from the Webster Technique.

According to the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association, “The Webster Technique is a specific chiropractic sacral analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation/ SI joint dysfunction. In doing so, neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis is facilitated.” The process is gentle and painless and causes the baby to move into a proper position on its own.

The woman’s OB/GYN has suggested an external cephalic version, (ECV). An ECV is where the MD presses the woman’s pregnant belly in an attempt to externally move the baby into a proper position. After learning of the risk of this procedure, the woman decided not to go this route and instead went to the chiropractor.

The woman received a chiropractic examination followed by a chiropractic adjustment which included the Webster Technique. Following her second chiropractic adjustment, the woman reported that she noticed a lot of movement of the baby. Shortly after this, she scheduled another visit with her OB/GYN who performed an ultrasound and confirmed that the baby had moved into the correct vertex position. Within 48 hours, the woman went into labor and delivered a baby girl through a normal vaginal birth.

In the study conclusion, the authors summed up the case by stating, “In this case the baby’s position was confirmed to be breech via ultrasound before Webster Technique was administered and ultrasound then confirmed the baby to have moved into the vertex position after the technique was applied. The changes took place in a short amount of time once the patient started under chiropractic care and was otherwise not doing anything differently in her daily life.”

June 13, 2022

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