Research FAQ

RESOLUTION OF FIBROMYALGIA WITH CHIROPRACTIC CARE?

WHAT IS FIBROMYALGIA AND WHAT DOES CHIROPRACTIC HAVE TO DO WITH IT?

A common question we are asked is, “What is fibromyalgia?” And when we discover what it is — WHAT, if anything, can be done about it?

In 2015, a case study was published in a chiropractic journal that described of a 32-year old female with fibromyalgia. After only 4 months of chiropractic care, she saw complete resolution of her symptoms! Thorough examination and x-rays revealed a complete loss of cervical curve and a misalignment of her atlas vertebra. After 4 months of chiropractic care, she reported 100% improvement in symptoms including a full return to health and vitality.

In fact, she demonstrated restoration of her atlas vertebra angle and cervical curve showed during a 90 day follow-up examination!

Atlas misalignment causes distorted activity of the brain’s neurons, which causes widespread activation of the brain stem and cerebral cortex. This is a commonly accepted theory of Fibromyalgia. Specific chiropractic adjustments can relieve mechanical pressure and improve atlas alignment, which can improve the state of well-being in fibromyalgia patients. Chiropractic adjustments reduce neurological irritation, improving dysfunction of the brain’s processing pathways!

CAN THAT WHIPLASH FROM YEARS AGO BE THE CAUSE OF YOUR MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS SYMPTOMS?

Arif Chiropractic, Research FAQ

WHIPLASH AND MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS

The advent of upright MRI has allowed the medical community to better understand the origins of multiple sclerosis (MS). Researchers revealed when imaging the spine in a weight-bearing position that misalignments of the vertebrae from whiplash and injuries more than eight years prior can cause symptoms of MS.

These misalignments of the spine caused obstruction of the “cerebrospinal fluid” which flows throughout the brain and the spinal cord. These obstructions increased pressure in the skull and caused “leakages” into the surrounding brain tissue. The protein contained in the leakage caused an autoimmune reaction in the brain. This resulted in the symptom-generating lesions found in multiple sclerosis!

Specific chiropractic adjustments to these subluxations can improve the flow of cerebrospinal fluid! As a matter of fact, one of the patients in this study saw immediate improvements in symptoms, such as vertigo and vomiting, immediately after an adjustment! Chiropractic care is crucial following ANY injury, including those injuries without any symptoms!

Think you might be a candidate for neurologically-based chiropractic care? Visit for a discounted evaluation!

BREASTFEEDING TIPS – CAN CHIROPRACTIC HELP?

Arif Chiropractic, Research FAQ

BREASTFEEDING TIPS – HOW CAN CHIROPRACTIC HELP?

Breastfeeding Tips: Breastfeeding offers countless benefits for our little ones! Completely natural, breast milk provides nutrition for healthy growth, development and strong immunity!

A 2015 case report describes a 4 week old female that experienced difficulty latching and breastfeeding. Following a gentle, specific chiropractic adjustment to the upper neck and right TMJ (jaw joint), the infant was immediately able to latch and feed without restriction. What a difference this made for that baby girl’s future!

During the birth process, baby may experience misalignment to the bones of the upper neck and cranium which can result in irritation to the cranial and spinal nerves. Cranial nerve irritation, specifically CN’s 9-12, can inhibit the suck-swallow-breathe sequence required for successful breastfeeding. Gentle adjustments work to reduce this nerve irritation, and restore proper function!

IMPROVEMENTS IN A 4-YEAR-OLD WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER FOLLOWING CHIROPRACTIC CARE TO REDUCE VERTEBRAL SUBLUXATION

Arif Chiropractic, Research FAQ

We are truly honored to be published in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal, and Family Health! We hope this case study can provide some hope to families of children with autism. Specifically, this 4 year old when from non-verbal to saying “mommy” in 8 weeks with no interventions besides specific, neurologically-based chiropractic care. More info below:

CASE STUDY

Improvements in a 4-year-old with Autism Spectrum Disorder Following Chiropractic Care to Reduce Vertebral Subluxation

Anthony Pellegrino, BS, DC

Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health – Chiropractic ~ Volume 2016 ~ Issue 2 ~ Pages 50-56

Abstract

Objective: This case study describes the effects of subluxation-based chiropractic care on a 4-year-old boy diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) experiencing significant language delays.

Clinical Features: A 4-year-old boy diagnosed with ASD was brought into a chiropractic clinic by his parents for chiropractic care. The parents’ main concern was his delay in language development. The patient was non-verbal and had diminished ability to sense pain.

Interventions and Outcomes: Subluxation-based chiropractic care was initiated for 15 visits over a period of 8 weeks. The patient was assessed using static palpation, motion palpation, and postural analysis, and adjustments were performed using Diversified Technique. The parents reported significant improvements in language development over the course of care. The Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) was used to assess effectiveness of chiropractic care on four areas of impairments: Speech/language/communication improved 34.8%, Sociability improved by 50%, sensory/cognitive awareness improved by 50%, health/physical/behavior improved by 31.4%, and the patient had an improvement in their overall score by 40.6% over 8 weeks.

Conclusions: This case study serves to strengthen the relationship between the reduction of vertebral subluxation and improvement in function of patients with ASD.

Key Words: Autism, autism spectrum disorder, chiropractic, subluxation, pediatric, ATEC, Diversified Technique, adjustment

Click here to schedule a complimentary consultation with Dr. Anthony Pellegrino

For more information, click the link: https://chiropracticpediatrics.sharepoint.com/Pages/2016_1433_autism.aspx

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ADDICTION

Arif Research FAQ

For over 100 years Doctors of Chiropractic have said that subluxation causes the body to lose its ability to adapt to the environment and that adjustments restore the bodies natural ability to adapt. However, our detractors have always held that we can’t prove this tenet. Today’s research clearly demonstrates how Chiropractic adjustments help people that have lost their ability to properly adapt to the environment. People who are addicted to the use of recreational drugs will go through an often painful process of withdrawal when they stop using. This withdrawal process is the primary reason an addict will fall out of addiction treatment program and begin using again. The withdrawal process is a clear indication of a body that is not properly adapting to a changing environment.

Chiropractic helps in treatment of addicts

From the March 29, 2001 issue of the Miami Herald comes a story of how chiropractic care is helping those in a Miami drug addiction program. The story starts by explaining that patients in a residential drug-addiction program who received chiropractic care designed to realign their vertebrae completed the treatment program at a remarkable 100 percent rate.

Ninety-eight patients at Miami’s Exodus drug-treatment program participated in the study that was featured in a Journal of Nature magazine called “Molecular Psychiatry”. The study also reported that the patients involved in the study at the treatment center who received chiropractic care made fewer visits to a nurses’ station and showed significant decreases in anxiety.

Dr. Jay Holder, medical director of the Exodus program and the chiropractor who conducted the study said, “Completing a 28- to 30-day program greatly enhances an addict’s chances of staying clean, but nationally only 72 percent of participants make it all the way through such programs.” Holder went on to say, “This correction of what chiropractors call subluxation results in a sense of well-being that allows patients to benefit more thoroughly from the group therapy and medical care of addiction treatment.” “Chiropractic does not treat addiction — it does not treat any disease,” Holder said. “We’re allowing those things that treat addiction to be embraced more thoroughly.”

The participants were divided into three groups. One group got the regular regime of addiction care. The second group got “sham” (these patients think they have received an adjustment but they have not) adjustments, while the third group got actual chiropractic adjustments to correct subluxations. The group with the regular care and the sham chiropractic had a completion rate in the program of only 74% and 56%. The group that received the chiropractic care to correct subluxations showed a completion rate of 100%. The implications of completion of a drug treatment program are very important to preventing addicts from returning to drugs.

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ALLERGIES

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Long Term Remission and Alleviation of Symptoms in Allergy and Crohn’s Disease Patients Following Spinal Adjustment for Reduction of Vertebral Subluxations

Background: An association between visceral disease and immune dysfunction from sympathetic segmental disturbances secondary to vertebral subluxation has been put forward by chiropractic, osteopathic and medical practitioners. We report on the positive results of a controlled study using chiropractic adjustments to reduce subluxations in patients with Crohn’s disease and allergies. We also discuss possible mechanisms for the relationship between visceral and immune dysfunction and subluxation.

Methods: We divided 57 Crohn’s disease patients into two groups. A treatment group consisting of 17 patients and a control group consisting of 34 patients. 6 patients were excluded from the study because of their symptoms, progress and changes in blood test values and because vertebral subluxations were present only in the lumbar region. With all patients continuing their present medication, we subjected the treatment group of 17 patients to spinal adjustment in order to reduce the vertebral subluxations in the thoracic and lumbar regions and compared them with the 34 patients who did not receive spinal adjustments.

Results: Of the 17 patients who received spinal adjustments,
12 showed long-term and stable remission of their symptoms and 9 experienced an alleviation effect. We found that vertebral subluxation is a common and characteristic finding in patients with allergies and Crohn’s disease.

Conclusion: According to the results of this study the possibility may be considered that chronic nerve compression secondary to vertebral subluxation in the thoracic and lumbar regions had a significant effect on the immune function of these allergy and Crohn’s disease patients. It is further postulated that this nerve compression leads to a chronic functional disorder having a significant effect on digestion, absorption of nutrients and liquids, conveyance of food as well as various other functions of the digestive tract extending to excretion.

A New Approach to the Upper Cervical Adjusting Procedure: Part I. Kessinger RC, Bonita, DV. Chiropractic Research Journal 2000 SPR Vol. 7(1) Pgs. 14-32

Patient was a 27-year-old man with chronic sinusitis, headaches, nervousness, and insomnia. His examination revealed an atlas subluxation. Patient received upper cervical adjustments over a period of 3 months. The patient demonstrated correction of their upper cervical subluxation via pre and post Blair protracto x-ray views, spinal thermography, and pelvic balance leg length equality examinations. Patient reported a 50% reduction in frequency and intensity of all symptoms at 3 weeks and at 3 months reported he had been symptom free for 4 consecutive weeks.

In this paper the authors asked, “How frequently [do] patients report nonmusculoskeletal symptomatic improvements and [what are] the types of such reactions that patients believe to be associated with chiropractic.”

Twenty consecutive patients from 87 Swedish chiropractors answered questionnaires on return visits. A total of 1,504 questionnaires were completed and returned. Twenty-three per cent of patients reported improvement in nonmusculoskeletal symptoms, including:

Easier to breathe (98 patients)
Improved digestive function (92)
Clearer/better/sharper vision (49)
Improved circulation (34)
Less ringing in the ears (10)
Acne/eczema better (8)
Dysmenorrhoea better (7)
Asthma/allergies better (6)
Sense of smell heightened (3)
Reduced blood pressure (2)
Numbness in tongue gone (1)
Hiccups gone (1)
Menses function returned (1)
Cough disappeared (1)
Double vision disappeared (1)
Tunnel vision disappeared (1)
Less nausea (1)

Orbital sinusitis. McCarthy, R ICPA Newsletter July/August 1997.

This is the case study of “a four year old boy with headaches, vomiting, nasal drip and decreased appetite was being treated with large doses of antibiotics. Past history revealed a fall on his head at age two from a height of 4 feet.

“Chiropractic analysis revealed a left cervical rotation with retrolisthesis and rotation of C2. He was seen 2 times per week for six months. The results were excellent. No more headaches, vomiting or nasal drip. In addition, his attitude and appetite dramatically improved.” Chiropractic adjustment in the management of visceral conditions: a critical appraisal. Jamison JR, McEwen AP, Thomas SJ. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1992; [15:17]1-180.

This was a survey of chiropractors in Australia. More than 50% of the chiropractors stated that asthma responds to chiropractic adjustments; more than 25% felt that chiropractic adjustments could benefit patients with dysmenorrhea, indigestion, constipation, migraine and sinusitis.

Diagnosis and treatment of TMJ, head, neck and asthmatic symptoms in children. Gillespie BR, Barnes JF, J of Craniomandibular Practice. Oct. 1990, Vol 8, No. 4.

From the abstract: “Pathologic strain patterns in the soft tissues can be a primary cause of headaches, neck aches, throat infections, ear infections, sinus congestion, and asthma.”

A comparative study of the health status of children raised under the health care models of chiropractic and allopathic medicine. Van Breda, WM and JM. Journal of Chiropractic Research Summer 1989. Children under chiropractic had less use of medications, including antibiotics, and suffered from less ear infections. Characteristics of 217 children attending a chiropractic college teaching clinic. Nyiendo J. Olsen E. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1988; 11(2):78084.

The authors found that pediatric patients at Western States Chiropractic College public clinic commonly had complaints of ear-infection, sinus problems, allergy, bedwetting, respiratory problems, and gastro-intestinal problems. Complete or substantial improvement of their chief complaint had been noted in 61.6% of pediatric patients while 60.6% received “maximum” level of improvement. Only 56.7% of adult patients received “maximum” level of improvement.

Structural normalization in infants and children with particular reference to disturbances of the CNS. Woods RH Journal of the American Osteopathic Association, May 1973, 72:P.903-908.

Post-traumatic epilepsy, allergic problems, and dizziness have been relieved by cranial manipulation.

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ASTHMA

Arif Research FAQ

AN IMPAIRMENT RATING ANALYSIS OF ASTHMATIC CHILDREN UNDER CHIROPRACTIC CARE

A self-reported asthma-related impairment study was conducted on 81 children under chiropractic care.

The intent of this study was to quantify self-reported changes in impairment experienced by the pediatric asthmatic subjects, before and after a two month period under chiropractic care. Practitioners, representing a general range of six different approaches to vertebral subluxation correction, administered a specifically designed asthma impairment questionnaire at the appropriate intervals. Subjects were categorized into two groups; 1–10 years and 11–17 years.

Parents/guardians completed questionnaires for the younger group, while the older subjects self-reported their perceptions of impairment. Significantly lower impairment rating scores (improvement) were reported for 90.1% of subjects 60 days after chiropractic care when compared to the pre-chiropractic scores (p < 0.05) with an effect size of 0.96. As well, there were no significant differences across the age groups based on parent/guardian versus self rated scores. Girls reported higher (less improvement) before and after care compared to boys, although significant decreases in impairment ratings were reported for each gender. This suggested a greater clinical effect for boys which was supported by effect sizes ranging from 1.2 for boys compared to 0.75 for girls. Additionally, 25 of 81 subjects (30.9%) chose to voluntarily decrease their dosage of medication by an average of 66.5% while under chiropractic care. Moreover, information collected from patients revealed that among 24 patients reporting asthma “attacks” in the 30 day period prior to the study, the number of “attacks” decreased significantly by an average of 44.9% (p <.05). Based on the data obtained in this study, it was concluded that chiropractic care, for correction of vertebral subluxation, is a safe nonpharmacologic health care approach which may also be associated with significant decreases in asthma related impairment as well as a decreased incidence of asthmatic “attacks.” The findings suggest that chiropractic care should be further investigated relative to providing the most efficacious care management regimen for pediatric asthmatics.

Asthma Study Shows Chiropractic Benefits

From the November / December 2000 issue of Today’s Chiropractic, comes a study report on Asthma. The article notes that approximately 14 Americans die each day from asthma. Asthma is only one of three diseases that has shown an increasing death rate in recent years, up 58% since 1979. Presently estimates say that 17 million Americans suffer from the disease making it the most common and costly illness in the United States.

Today, costing over $13 billion annually. Presently, asthma causes more hospitalizations of children than any other childhood disease.

In the study, 47 patients were observed for a two year period. These patients had all been medically diagnosed with persistent asthma ranging from mild persistent in 11 cases, moderate persistent in 28 cases, to severe persistent in 8 cases. The care rendered consisted of specific chiropractic adjustments. The range of visits was from 14 to 44, with the average being 26 during the study period. Most patients in the study began care at a rate of 3 visits per week with this frequency being reduced after 4 to 8 initial weeks.

The patient results were very good with all 47 of the study patients showing a marked improvement ranging from 87 to 100 percent. Patient observed improvement was measured by both improvement in their symptoms as well as a decrease in their usage of acute asthma attack medication. Even more impressive was that all of the patients in the study reported maintaining their improvement after a two-year follow up.

Asthma Study on Benefits of Chiropractic

Asthma has become a large health concern for children in recent years. Over the past 20 years the incidence of asthma has doubled. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that in 1998, approximately 17,299,000 people in the United States, or 6.4% of the population, with cases among very young children up 160%. As reported in the June 16, 1999 issue of JAMA, the CDC also noted that between 1980 and 1994, the number of people self-reporting asthma grew 75%.

In a study conducted in 1996 by the Michigan Chiropractic Council (MCC), a panel of doctors performed an out-come assessment study to test the qualitative and quantitative effectiveness of chiropractic care on children with asthma. The high demand of parents seeking alternative care for pediatric asthma was shown by the overwhelming interest in the study. More than 500 parents called the MCC seeking to get their child involved in the chiropractic study.

The study, which took place during May and June of 1996, examined the chiropractic effectiveness in correcting the cause of asthma in patients from birth to age 17. The average age of the participant was 10 years. “After 30 days of chiropractic health care, patients averaged only one attack, whereas prior to the study they were experiencing more than four attacks,” said MCC Dr. Bob Graham, who directed the study. “Medications, which can be costly, were decreased by nearly 70 percent. Finally, patient satisfaction was rated 8.5 on a scale of 10.” More than 70 chiropractors from 62 cities in Michigan studied more than 80 children suffering from asthma.

AUTISM

Arif Research FAQ

Chiropractic treatment has transformed the life of Max Willson and his parents. Christina Hopkinson reports

Quentin Willson is not an obvious advocate of alternative medicine. This is the man, after all, who came to prominence as a presenter on that bastion of blokes, Top Gear, and named his daughters Mercedes and Mini. He admits that until two and a half years ago, the most alternative potion he had ever taken was a vitamin C tablet. But after his taking his son Max to see a chiropractor, he has become one of the treatment’s most evangelical exponents. “I’m startled by the difference in Max before and after chiropractic,” he says. “He has gone from being labeled autistic and needing a classroom assistant to becoming an active and feisty seven-year-old in mainstream education.”

Max was born in April, 1998 after a very difficult labor. The umbilical cord was wrapped twice around his neck as well as being knotted and, due to his heart rate slowing, he had to be delivered quickly. To add to his wife’s distress, Quentin was six hours late for the delivery. “I was stuck in the floods on the M40 with no mobile reception. Michaela thought I was dead.”

Quentin and Michaela soon noticed that Max was not developing in the same way that his elder sister Mercedes had done, seven years previously. His eyes didn’t focus, while his hand movements were more unco-ordinated that those of his contemporaries. But it was when Max went into education at four that they began to seek help. “You never want to admit to yourself that you’ve got a backward child,” he says, “but it was clear that he was very, very behind. He couldn’t concentrate, was hyperactive and demanding.” Every childhood hurdle was twice as difficult as it had been for his sister – he wore nappies until he was four, was impossible to wean from the bottle and had never slept through the night. Family outings such as visiting a restaurant or friends’ houses were impossible.

The Wilson’s consulted both state and private health professionals to try to discover what was wrong with their son and were given diagnoses including dyspraxia and dyslexia. They even began to think that Max was autistic as he demonstrated symptoms that are often associated with the disorder: he walked on tiptoes, had an obsession with soft clothes and didn’t like labels next to his skin.

They were at the point of putting Max on Ritalin, the drug that is used to treat children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, when they had an “almost surreal” revelation. Quentin went to pick Max up from a birthday party where “he’d done his usual trick of sitting underneath the table for two hours”. There, he met a mother who had been observing Max for the previous hour. She said that she thought his skeleton was out of alignment and that he should see the chiropractor she had used, Deirdre Edwards, who practices in Stratford Upon Avon, near to the Willsons’ home.

Chiropractic is a form of complementary medicine that uses manual spine manipulation to correct alignment and improve the function of the nervous system. Deirdre Edwards practices a type called McTimoney, which takes a holistic approach in examining not only spinal and skeletal misalignments, but also the patient’s general wellbeing and quality of life. Though deeply sceptical, the Willsons felt that they had nothing to lose in crossing yet another treatment off their list.

Deirdre remembers Michaela Willson coming into her practice with an air of resignation and exhaustion, while Max wreaked havoc in the waiting room. Deirdre put him through a range of assessments and discovered that he was delayed in several areas.

A feather touching his skin caused him to say “ouch”, and he had no sense of smell. He couldn’t stand on one leg or follow simple instructions. His eyes twitched involuntarily, he made facial grimaces, had staccato speech and licked his lips continually. But she did manage to make eye contact, which suggested to her that he didn’t have severe autism.

Once she had checked that it was safe to give chiropractic help, Deirdre began to palpate his body. “There are seven bones in the neck,” she says, “and four of his were severely misaligned, affecting the natural balance throughout the rest of his body. Even a lay person would have been able to see that Max had muscular build-up on the left side of his neck, so that it looked like he’d been lifting weights.”

Deirdre believes that this misalignment was strangling his neural cord so that Max “was twisted in such a way that the cord could not transfer messages down the body. He was lucky to be walking.” This over-firing of his nervous system was, she says, interfering with his ability to learn, in turn compromising his immune system and lead to the continual colds and throat infections that he suffered. The Willsons remember the treatment not hurting Max at all. “It was just flicking the bones around his neck and shoulders,” says Quentin, but that night, Max slept continuously until morning for the first time since his birth, nearly five years before. Deirdre continued to see Max about once a week for the first month, and then every 10 to 14 days. His speech, eating and abilities quickly improved to the point where he now only visits her once a month.

The Willsons are thrilled.

“He sleeps like a log and has lost all that weirdness,” says Quentin. “He no longer has a classroom assistant and we’ve taken him out of his second genteel preparatory school with five children in the class and put him into a little village state school where he’s flourishing. He’s still a bit behind because he effectively missed out on a couple of years of education, but you can reason with him and he’s reading and writing and it’s amazing. I can only put this down to the chiropractic.”

They are so convinced by the benefits of chiropractic that Quentin is determined to spread the word. “This is the unimpeachable testimony of a man who did not believe in it. We have to raise awareness, because it worked so thoroughly for my son and changed his life and ours. If I can help just one child that’s going through what we went through, then that’s my reward.”

Case Report: autism, otitis media. Khorshid K. ICA Review Fall 2001

This is the case of Victoria, a 3-year-old girl diagnosed with autism, who also suffered from serous otitis media and hearing difficulty. The girl had speech and communication deficits and was considered to be at 9-12 month level of development. An ENT specialist suggested tubes in the ears.

She was placed under chiropractic care. Within 3 weeks of her first chiropractic adjustment, there was complete resolution of her otitis media. It was noticed that her tantrums increased after drinking milk therefore a gluten and casein free diet was implemented and this brought about “terrific” cognitive and emotional improvement, social skills, language and reasoning skills.

Lawrence’ Story: autism and cerebral palsy. In-line with Oklahaven Children’s Chiropractic Center (newsletter), Spring 2001, Oklahoma City, OK.

Six-year-old Lawrence was diagnosed with autism and cerebral palsy.

After beginning chiropractic care “Lawrence became more aware of the people around him and his surroundings. He took his first independent steps while receiving intensive treatments. He now walks 50 or 60 feet on his own, changing direction and standing still as necessary. He is also beginning to feed himself..His fine and gross motor skills have improved immensely and he has a range of different sounds he is making including experimenting with words.”

Chiropractic care and behavior in autistic children. Aguilar AL, Grostic JD, Pfleger B. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol. 5 No. 1, 2000

This is one of the more ambitious projects regarding chiropractic and autism. Twenty-six randomly selected autistic children received nine months of upper cervical specific care. During this period they had four examinations during which their behavior and neurological response was monitored. Autism rating scales used were Childhood Autism Rating Scale and Modified Autism Behavior Checklist. (Orthospinology upper cervical chiropractic technique which is hypothesized to remove interference from the spinal cord and brainstem was employed as the chiropractic technique.)

The changes in children under chiropractic care included:

Children going off all medication (i.e.Ritalin, Dexadrine)
Improved bladder control
Improved digestion
Starting to speak/ speech improved
Decreased ear infections
Chronic colds stopped or decreased
Improved sleep
Improved eye/vision
Improved behavior
Five children enrolled for the first time in full time inclusion classroom settings.

Heather’ Story. Barnes T. in Kentuckiana Children’s Center Int’l Chiropractic Assn. Review Sept/Oct 2000.

Heather was diagnosed with autism and mild mental retardation. Her ability to walk began to deteriorate about the sixth or seventh grade. She frequently picked at her skin and had sores and scabs on her arms and legs. Her sleep patterns were erratic and she had large mood swings and tantrums. She had been seen by many orthopedists and neurologists and no cause for her condition could be found.

After Heather’s first chiropractic adjustment she was able to take some steps on her own. Additionally, the sores on her arms and legs began to heal and she started sleeping through the night. She continues her chiropractic care. Case report: autism and chronic otitis media. Warner SP and Warner TM. Today’s Chiropractic. May/June 1999 This is the case report of a three and a half year-old girl with autism. She was non-verbal, had compulsive disorders, daily rituals, exhibited head banging and would become violent.

Within one month after beginning chiropractic care, her parents and teacher noticed a 30% improvement socially. After one year of care, an 80% improvement was noticed. Her head banging and other rituals diminished by 50% with less violent behavior. She had chronic serous otitis media and had been on antibiotics for one year. Within a one-week period after her first adjustment, antibiotic use stopped due to a 70% improvement in her otitis media. Autism, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, strabismus and illness susceptibility: a case study in chiropractic management. Amalu WC. Today’s Chiropractic. Sept/Oct 1998. Pp. 32-47.

This is the case of a 5-year-old female diagnosed with autism, asthma, allergies, eczema, irritable bowel syndrome and left-sided strabismus. She had been experiencing 25 violent temper episodes per day, with each episode lasting up to 20 minutes. The episodes consisted of: ear-piercing screams, combative behavior and throwing herself onto the floor. She also exhibited three episodes each day of self-inflicted violent behavior, which included biting her arm, slapping her head and repeatedly banging her head against a full-length mirror.

She had at least one episode of violent behavior each day – hitting people, especially her mother. Speech was limited to a few words such as “mama,” “dada,” “milk” and “walk.”

Chiropractic care consisted of adjustment of the atlanto-occipital subluxation in the knee-chest posture with contact to the posterior arch of atlas.

Correction of the subluxation was determined by post-adjustment cervical thermal scan.

During the first week of care she had two adjustments. After the first adjustment, the patient had her first good night’s sleep since her mother could remember. Violent temper episodes had reduced from 25 per day to 15 per day with decrease in intensity. Mother noticed that reasoning with patient could stop them. Self-inflicted violent behavior was decreased in frequency. Her speech had improved with an increase in vocabulary. Sleep patterns had improved.

During the second week of care she had one adjustment. Her violent temper episodes decreased from 15 per day to five per day with continued decrease in intensity and more control over stopping them. Her right eye showed no more signs of strabismus. She began speaking in sentences for the first time, was able to nap without waking and could go back to sleep on her own at night. Mother reported a marked decrease in hyperactivity along with a desire to be touched and hugged.

During the third week of care she received one adjustment. Her violent temper episodes decreased to 2 per day with decreased intensity. She continues to use more speech to express her feelings. She exhibits strabismus in her left eye only when tired. Mother states there is little hyperactivity. Self-directed or outward violent behavior has ceased. Irritable bowel syndrome was much improved.

On her fourth week of care she received no adjustments. All temper episodes, hyperactivity, violent behavior had stopped. She is sleeping through the night. Eczema behind ears had cleared up and allergic skin reactions have stopped. The patient was then evaluated by two therapists who declared the diagnosis of autism was incorrect. During weeks 6 and 8 she experienced a mild return of symptoms, an adjustment was given, and symptoms abated. During weeks 9-12 no adjustments were needed. The IBS had almost completely resolved. She had continued improvement over next 8 months and had not experienced more asthma attacks.

Developmental communication disorder. Goldman, SR Today’s Chiropractic July/August 1995 p.70-74. This is the case of a two-year old boy diagnosed with ‘developmental communication disorder.’ He was non-responsive to any external stimuli, even to receiving an injection. He did not respond to sound or touch. Chiropractic analysis revealed an axis (C2) subluxation.

“On the third visit, when I walked into the room, he began to cry. That was the first time that he responded to anything happening around him. By the sixth adjustment, he started to follow certain commands and stopped making repeated hand motions. He started to talk after the 12th office visit.

At present, he has an extensive vocabulary and is slightly hyperactive; he is probably making up for lost time.”

Case study – autism. Rubinstein, HM Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol. 1 No. 1, April 1994.

This is the case study of a seven-year-old female diagnosed with autism. The child has a history of sexual and physical abuse. The girl would slowly turn in circles in place while singing an incomprehensible song with a glazed stare and blank expression. Spinal examination revealed a right posterior and superior C1. She was adjusted about twice a week. After ten months of care she was able to carry on conversations, carry out commands and dress and groom herself. Cognitive development progressed to where she was able to learn, read, and participate in public school.

The effect of chiropractic adjustments on the behavior of autistic children; a case review. Sandeful, R, Adams E. ACA Journal of Chiropractic, Dec 21:5, 1987. The authors reported that 50% of all autistic subjects under chiropractic care experienced reliable behavioral improvements, as recorded by independent observers. It is reported by those working with autistic children that any change in behavior in an autistic child is considered to be significant. Behavioral improvements were observed in such diverse areas as picking up toys, use of sign language, reduction of self-abuse and appropriate use of language.

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BACK PAIN

Arif Research FAQ

Chronic spinal pain – a randomized clinical trial comparing medication, acupuncture and spinal manipulation. Giles LGF, Muller R. Spine 2003;[28:14]90-1503.

Three groups of patients with back pain were given a nine week course of care using medicine, acupuncture or chiropractic care. The results showed a significantly higher number of satisfied chiropractic patients. The 40 medical patients were given two anti-inflammatories (NSAIDS) and the pain killer Celebrex T, Viox T or paracetamol. 18 dropped out early because the drugs either didn’t help or caused side effects. Of the 22 who completed the study only two found relief. Out of 32 patients who tried acupuncture 10 dropped out early because they weren’t being helped. Of the rest 3 reported pain relief.

Out of 33 chiropractic patients eight dropped out because they weren’t being helped. Of the rest nine reported pain relief. Is low back pain part of a general health pattern or is it a separate and distinctive entity?A critical literature review of co-morbidity with low back pain.

Hestbaek L, Leboeuf-Yde C, Manniche CJ Manipulative Physiol Ther May 2003 . Vol 26 . No. 4

This review paper (literature search) goal is to see if there is co-morbidity or other health problems in people with persistent lower back pain. Twenty-three papers were reviewed. All “showed positive associations to all disorders investigated (headache/migraine, respiratory disorders, cardiovascular disease, general health, and others) with the exception of diabetes.”

The conclusion states: “The literature leaves no doubt that diseases cluster in some individuals and that low back pain is part of this pattern. However, the nature of the relationship between low back pain and other disorders is still unclear.” Unfortunately the authors did not investigate whether the most important findings chiropractors could locate, the vertebral subluxation complex, was a factor. The presence of VSC may clarify the relationship between lower back pain and visceral etc. disorders.

The course of low back pain in a general population. Results from a 5-year prospective study Hestbaek L, et al. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. May 2003; Vol. 26, No. 4. In this study, more than one third of people who experienced LBP in the previous year did so for more than 30 days. Forty percent of those still had LBP 1 and 5 years later, and 9% were pain free in year 5. LBP rarely seems to be self-limiting but merely presents with periodic attacks and temporary remissions. Chronic low back pain: a study of the effects of manipulation under anesthesia. Nicholas F. Palmieri, NF Smoyak S Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics October 2002 . Volume 25 . Number 8

The objective of this project was to evaluate the efficacy of using self-reported questionnaires to study manipulation under anesthesia (MUA) for patients with chronic low back pain. Self-reported outcome assessment instruments were used to evaluate changes in patients receiving MUA versus those not receiving MUA.
A total of 87 subjects from two ambulatory surgical centers and 2 chiropractic clinics participated in this study. The intervention group consisted of 38 patients and the nonintervention (control) group consisted of 49 patients.

Patients in the intervention group received MUA. Patients in the nonintervention group received traditional chiropractic treatment.

In this sample of patients with chronic low back pain, self-reported outcomes improved after the procedure and at follow-up evaluation. There was more improvement reported in the intervention group than the nonintervention group. This study supports the need for large-scale studies on MUA. It also revealed that self-reported outcome assessments are easily administered and a dependable method to study MUA.

Upper cervical management of a patient with neuromusculoskeletal and visceral complaints. McCoy M. Today’s Chiropractic May/June 2001. P. 46-47.

This is the case of a 65-year-old man who began to have symptoms of lower extremity pain and parasthesias, ambulatory problems, urinary difficulties (having to urinate every half hour) and visual problems after back surgery which fused his thoracolumbar segments. Patient also had gout which affected his right big toe and fingers, ankles, elbows and fingers. He was on Indocin for the gout. He was also on medication for high blood pressure and wore glasses for reading.

Twice as a child he suffered from head trauma. One time he fell over a railing and landed on top of his head.

The patient reported that during the evening of his first adjustment he experienced shock-like sensations bilaterally into his arms and legs. He also reported chills, a fever, and coldness in his hands, sweats, and an increase in frequency of urination, gluteal muscle soreness and loss of appetite. By the next morning the symptoms resolved.

Patient had twenty chiropractic visits over a 5 month period. By the time of the seventh visit he did not need an adjustment. The numbness and tingling along the right side of his body were gone and he was walking better. His legs felt stronger and he was not using his cane much. Sitting and standing were less troublesome.

He reports a decrease in frequency of urination to only a few times a day and that he doesn’t need his glasses for reading anymore.

Back pain reporting pattern in a Danish population-based sample of children and adolescents. Wedderkopp N, Leboeuf-Yde C, Andersen LB, et al. Spine 2001; 26(17): 1879-83

In this study researchers surveyed 481 eight to ten year olds and 325 adolescents (14-16 years old). Within a one month period, 39% stated they had experienced back pain – the thoracic (mid-back) area being the most common area of complaint in childhood; thoracic and lumbar (low back) pain being more common among adolescents. Neck pain was rare in those surveyed.

Complementary care: when is it appropriate? Micozzi MS 1998. Annals of Internal Medicine:1[28:65]-66.

“The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) recently made history when it concluded that spinal manipulative therapy is the most effective and cost-effective treatment for acute low back pain.One might concluded that for acute low-back pain not caused by fracture, tumor, infection, or the cauda equina syndrome, spinal manipulation is the treatment of choice.”

See also: Bigos S., Bowyer O., Braen G., et al. Acute Low Back Problems in Adults. Clinical Practice Guideline No. 14. AHCPR Publication No. 95-0642. Rockville, MD: Agency for Health Care Policy and Research, Public Health Service, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. December, 1994.

Chiropractic management of a patient with subluxations, low back pain and epileptic seizures. Alcantara, Herschong, Plaugher and Alcantara. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, Volume 21, Number 6, pp. 410-418, April 1998. This is a case study of a 21-year-old female with a history since childhood of grand mal and petit mal seizures occurring every three hours. Examination revealed subluxation/dysfunction at L5-S1, C6-C7 and C3-C4, retrolisthesis at L5, hypolordosis of the cervical spine and hyperextension at C6-C7.

Gonstead care was administered and at a 1.5 year follow-up, the patient reported her low back complaints had resolved and her seizures had decreased (period between seizures as great as 2 months).

The authors conclude, “Data suggests that epilepsies are common, with an incidence between 40 and 200 per 100,000 with an overall prevalence between 0.5-1.0% of the general population. When one considers the potential side effects of antiepileptic drugs, research into the effects of chiropractic care for patients with epilepsy should be initiated.” Conservative treatment of acute and chronic nonspecific low-back pain. Van Tulder MW, Koes BW, Bouter LM Spine 1997;[22:21]28-2156. This study reported that there is “strong evidence of the effectiveness of manipulation for patients with chronic low-back pain.” Chiropractic/Dental co-treatment of lumbosacral pain with temporomandibular (TMJ) joint involvement. Chinappi AS and Getzoff H J Manipulative Physiol Ther, Vol. 19 No. 9 Nov/Dec 1996. This is the case of a 33-year old woman with centralized lumbosacral pain.

After 30 months of chiropractic care she was still experiencing some lower back pain and limited improvement and agreed to see an orthodontist who diagnosed a “Class 11 malocclusion with significant loss of vertical dimension, characteristic of bilateral posterior bite collapse”.

From the abstract:

The co-treatment approach, which integrated dental orthopedic and craniochiropractic care, ameliorated the pain and improved head, jaw, neck and back function. Conclusion: The position of the jaw, head and vertebral column, including the lumbar region, are intricately linked. Orthodontic treatment improved the position of the mandible, which in turn enabled the body to respond to chiropractic care. Evaluation of the Toftness system of chiropractic adjusting for subjects with chronic back pain, chronic tension headaches, or primary dysmenorrhea. Snyder, BJ, Sanders, GE Chiropractic Technique, 1996;8:3-9.

24 subjects with chronic back pain, 19 subjects with chronic tension headaches and 26 subjects with dysmenorrhea underwent a series of Toftness adjustments or sham interventions. Toftness adjustments had significant clinical benefit, whereas those receiving sham interventions did not improve.

Manga Report, (Canada) 1993.

Enhanced chiropractic coverage under OHIP (Ontario Health Insurance Plan) as a means for reducing health care costs, attaining better health outcomes and achieving equitable access to health services. Manga, P. Report to the Ontario Ministry of Health, 1998. “On the evidence, particularly the most scientifically valid clinical studies, spinal manipulation applied by chiropractors is shown to be more effective than alternative treatments for low back pain.”

See also Manga, Pran., et al. Chiropractic Management of Low-Back Pain. Pran Manga and Associates, Ontario, Canada, 1993

Low back pain of mechanical origin: randomized comparison of chiropractic and hospital outpatient treatment. Meade, T. W., Dyer, S. et al. British Medical Journal, June 1990, 300, pp. 431-437. Chiropractic management of patients with acute and chronic back pain was significantly more cost effective than standard medical management under the National Health System. The main outcome measure used was the Oswestry Questionnaire.

Low Back Pain and Chiropractic W J Med 1989;1[50:35]1-5

“…The percentage of chiropractic patients who were ‘very satisfied’ with the care they received for low back pain was triple that for patients of family physicians.” Short term trial of chiropractic adjustments for the relief of chronic low-back pain. Waagen GN, Haldeman S et al Manual Medicine 1986;[2:63]-67. The efficacy of manual treatment in low back pain: a clinical trial. US gov’t and Manga reports. Arkuszewski Z. Manual Medicine, 1986; [2:68]-71. Spinal manipulation out-performs conventional care in the most costly low back patients. The New Zealand Commission Report, 1979. Royal Commission of Inquiry on Chiropractic in New Zealand. This study has been referred to as “Probably the most comprehensive and detailed independent examination of chiropractic ever undertaken in any country.”

From the paper:

“The Commission has found it established beyond any reasonable degree of doubt that chiropractors have a more thorough training in spinal mechanics and spinal manual therapy than any other health professional. It would therefore be astonishing to contemplate that a chiropractor, in those areas of expertise, should be subject to the directions of a medical practitioner who is largely ignorant of those matters simply because he has had no training in them.” Low back pain of mechanical origin: randomized comparison of chiropractic and hospital outpatient treatment. Meade TW, Dyer S, Browne W et al. British Medical Journal 1990; 3[00:14]31-7. This paper compared chiropractic and hospital outpatient care for managing low back pain of mechanical origin. From the paper: There is therefore, economic support for the use of chiropractic in low back pain, though the obvious clinical improvement in pain and disability attributable to chiropractic treatment is in itself, an adequate reason for considering the use of chiropractic.

“The benefit of chiropractic treatment became more evident throughout the follow-up period. “Chiropractic was particularly effective in those with fairly intractable pain-that is, those with a history of severe pain.” Low back pain and the lumbar intervertebral disc: Clinical consideration for the doctor of chiropractic. Troyanovich SJ, Harrison DD, Harrison DE. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Feb. 1999; vol. 22, no. 2, pp96-104.

This review of the literature distills and synthesizes previously published research. The article lists various causes of low back pain, noting findings in patient histories, physical examinations, and diagnostic imaging that represent “red flags” indicating the need for referral to a specialist for surgical intervention. After patients are screened for red flags, conservative treatment should be the first line of treatment for patients without absolute signs for surgical intervention.

The authors concluded:

Of the available conservative treatments, chiropractic management has been shown through multiple studies to be safe, clinically effective, cost-effective, and to provide a high degree of patient satisfaction. As a result, in patients . . . for whom the surgical indications are not absolute, a minimum of 2 or 3 months of chiropractic management is indicated.

Practice guideline: Acute low back problems in adults. Washington, DC: The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research (AHCPR), U.S. Public Health Service, Dec. 1994, p. 30. The United States Agency for Health Care Policy Research on acute low-back pain in adults. This was a review of many treatments for acute low-back pain in adults. The panel of medical doctors, osteopaths, nurses, physical therapists and others familiar with the treatment of low back pain reviewed over 100 published studies relating to spinal manipulation.

The results of their five year study concluded that relief “can be accomplished most safely with non-prescription medication and/or spinal manipulation.” The panel found little evidence to support the use of injections, muscle relaxers, steroids, acupuncture, and early surgical intervention and found that “bed rest should be avoided” because it was useless and may make the condition worse.

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BLOOD PRESSURE

Arif Research FAQ

Latest findings show Chiropractic can help reduce blood pressure

More than 3.6 million Australians over the age of 25 have high blood pressure or are on medication for the condition, but findings recently released by the Chiropractors’ association of Australia indicate there is a non-drug alternative that can lower abnormal blood pressure in healthy bodies by 7.8% – 13%.

The latest findings published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics Vol, 24,No.2,by Dr Gary Knutson DC., show chiropractic adjustments to the upper neck can lower systolic blood pressure almost immediately.

According to Dr Laurie Tassell, National Spokesperson for the Chiropractors’ Association of Australia, a chiropractic pilot study involving 80 people found there is a relationship between the upper neck vertebrae and the body’s natural blood pressure control reflexes.

“With gentle chiropractic adjustment to the upper neck, blood pressure can be lowered, with good results measured for older patients in particular,” he said.

Traditionally the causes of blood pressure, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, have been linked to excess weight, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, dietary salt intake and nutrition patterns with low intake of fruit and vegetables and a high intake of saturated fat.

Data from the 1999-2000 study of general practice activity in Australia shows that high blood pressure is the most common problem managed by general practitioners, accounting for 6% of all problems managed.

“This is where the results of our finding are significant, because chiropractic spinal adjustments may be able to reduce a patient’s blood pressure and in conjunction with visits to their local GP, the level of prescribed drugs may be significantly reduced,” said Dr Tassell.

A report by the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study found that in 1999-2000, more than 3.6million Australians over the age of 25 had high blood pressure, which equates to 31% of men and 26% of women.

“These chiropractic research findings and the affect of high blood pressure on the Australian population provide a good foundation to recommend further studies involving larger groups for more detailed testing,” said Dr Tassell.

Further to this the Chiropractors’ Association of Australia hope to conduct further studies to identify direct connections between joint problems and muscle tension, and its effects on the nerve reflexes.

“The benefit of chiropractic care is that it is a drugless, painless, and surgically free approach to good health, with the goal of helping allow the body to function and repair itself,” said Dr Tassell.

Chiropractic management of a hypertensive patient: a case study. Plaugher G. Bachman TR.

A case study of a 38 year old male presented with a complaint of hypertension of 14 years duration and side effects of medication (minipress and Corgard) which included bloating sensations, depression ,fatigue and impotency. Chiropractic analysis revealed vertebral subluxation complex at levels Cervical 6-7,Thoracic 3-4,and 7-8 motion units (vertabrae). After three visits the patient’s M.D. stopped the Minipress and reduced the Corgard. After six adjustments corgard was reduced again. All medications were stopped after seven adjustments. Medication side effects had abated as well. After 18 months patients blood pressure remained at normal levels. High blood pressure is something many people suffer from and yet, in most cases the cause is unknown.

Case studies showing changes in blood pressure after Chiropractic care are becoming more and more abundant. Although not a treatment for any disease Chiropractic is designed to maximize life and boost the bodies recuperative powers. Chiropractic teaches us to remove all interferences with body function (subluxation) and to seek out more natural, conservative methods before submitting to more radical (drug and surgical) approaches. Exercise, rest and emotional care, along with a healthy spine and nervous system are all vital for optimal health and well – being. Explore them all.

“While results cannot be predicted for a particular hypertensive patient, a therapeutic trial of chiropractic co-management would seem to be warranted, especially when dysfunction is identified in relevant spinal areas. Proper lifestyle advice and medical care should be concurrent with a regime of adjusting. The authors advise close monitoring of blood pressure for all chiropractic patients on anti-hypertensive medication…the combined effects of the adjustment and the medication might drive a patient’s blood pressure below normal.” From Weber M. and Masarsky C, Eds. Neurological Fitness Vol.2 No.3 April 1993.

The types and frequencies of nonmusculoskeletal symptoms reported after chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy. Leboeuf -Yde C, Axen I, Ahlefeldt G, et al. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics Nov/Dec 19[99:22](9) 559-64. “How frequently [do] patients report nonmusculoskeletal symptomatic improvements and [what are] the types of such reactions that patients believe to be associated with chiropractic.”

Easier to breathe (98 patients)
Improved digestive function (92)
Clearer/better/sharper vision (49)
Improved circulation (34)
Less ringing in the ears (10)
Acne/eczema better (8)
Dysmenorrhoea better (7)
Asthma/allergies better (6)
Sense of smell heightened (3)
Reduced blood pressure (2)
Numbness in tongue gone (1)
Hiccups gone (1)
Menses function returned (1)
Cough disappeared (1)
Double vision disappeared (1)
Tunnel vision disappeared (1)
Less nausea (1)

The effect of cranial adjusting on hypertension: a case report. Connelly DM, Rasmussen SA Chiropractic Technique, May 1998; 10(2):75-78. This paper describes the experiences of three hypertensive patients who underwent chiropractic sacrooccipital cranial technique. One was a 73 year-old woman with a blood pressure of 170/100. Immediately following chiropractic care it was 120/78 and over the next few months measured 140/72.

The second patient was a 41 year-old woman with a blood pressure of 170/95. With cranial care it dropped to an average of 147/90. She was instructed to remove her dental plate at night and a couple of times during the day and her blood pressure dropped to 130/90. The third patient was a 74 year-old male on blood pressure medication who presented a blood pressure of 140/100. After a series of adjustments he was told by his MDs to reduce and eliminate medications. He presented with a blood pressure of 130/80 on his last visit. Randomized clinical trial of chiropractic adjustments and brief massage treatment for essential hypertension: A pilot study. Plaugher G, Meker W, Shelsy A, Lotun K, Jansen R., Conf Proc Chiro Cent Found 1995; Jul: 366-367. An effect of sacro occipital technique on blood pressure. Unger J, Sweat S, Flanagan S, Chudowski S. Proceedings of the International Conference on Spinal Manipulation. 1993 A/M. P. 87.

A single chiropractic intervention can bring about a significant reduction in blood pressure in a hypertensive group of subjects. Not only was the reduction in systolic blood pressure statistically significant; more important was the clinical significance of this effect. Chiropractic management of a hypertensive patient: a case study. Plaugher G, Bachman TR. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics accepted for publication 1993. A 38-year-old male complaining of hypertension of 14 years duration was suffering from the side effects of medication (Minipress T and Corgard T ): bloating sensations, depression, fatigue, and impotency.

Chiropractic analysis revealed vertebral subluxation complex at levels C6-7, T3-4, and T7-8.

After three visits, patient’s M.D. stopped the Minipress T and reduced the Corgard T After ix adjustments, Corgard T was reduced again. All medications were stopped after seven adjustments. Medication side effects had abated as well. After 18 months, patient’s blood pressure remained at normal levels. Hypertension and the atlas subluxation complex. Goodman R. Chiropractic: J of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation. Vol 8 No. 2, July 1992. Pp. 30-32.

Six of eight patients under chiropractic experienced relief of symptoms and lowered blood pressure after chiropractic care. The blood pressures of two subjects remained unchanged or increased sometime during the test period.

“Systolic pressure was lowered by an average of 27mm Hg, and the diastolic pressure by an average of 13mm Hg. In several subjects, other symptoms such as low back pain, thoracic tightness, headaches, and general malaise, diminished following the adjustments. Those subjects who were not on medication showed the greatest change.”

Hypertension: a case study. McGee D. Chiropractic: J of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation. Vol.7. No.4, Jan. 1992, Pp. 98-99. This is the case history of a 46-year-old woman’s rapid decrease in blood pressure following 8 weeks of chiropractic care. Systemic effects of spinal lesions. Dhami MSI, DeBoer KF In Principles and Practice of Chiropractic, 2nd edition, Appleton and Lange, East Norwalk, CT 1992.

The authors list “organic disorders reported to be related to spinal lesions or affected by chiropractic manipulation.” These include: abdominal discomfort, asthma, Barre-Lieou syndrome, cardiac arrhythmia, colic, constipation, dysmenorrhea, high blood pressure, low-blood sugar and hyperinsulinism, migraine, pulmonary diseases, ulcers and vertebral autonomic dysfunction. Improvements following the combination of chiropractic adjustments, diet, and exercise therapy. GS, Sauer AD, Wahl DR, Kessinger J. Chiropractic: The Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation 1990; [5:37]-39.

Four individuals and the effects of chiropractic adjustments on their cardiac dysfunctions as monitored by ECG are presented. A baseline ECG was taken. A treatment plan was implemented consisting of adjustments combined with exercise and diet recommendations. At the end of the treatment period, a follow-up ECG was performed and three of the four patients showed improvement. Preliminary study of blood pressure changes in normotensive subjects undergoing chiropractic care. McKnight ME, DeBoer KF, Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics,1988; [11:26]1-266. Seventy-five people were tested after specific chiropractic cervical adjustments. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the adjusted group. No significant changes occurred in the control group. In those with the highest pre-treatment blood pressures, the treatment effect was greatest, indicating that the effectiveness in hypertensives may be even more significant. Effects of chiropractic treatment on blood pressure and anxiety: a randomized, controlled trial. Yates RG, Lamping DL, Abram NL, Wright C. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1988; 11(6):484-8.

In this patient-blinded, assessor-blinded, placebo-controlled study, the authors state that the data “lend support to the hypothesis that chiropractic manipulation of the thoracic spine significantly reduces blood pressure in patients with elevated blood pressure.” Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the adjusted group. Adjustments were delivered to segments T-1 to T-5 of the 21 patients in the group adjusted. No significant changes occurred in the placebo or control groups.

The management of hypertensive disease: a review of spinal manipulation and the efficacy of conservative therapeusis. Crawford JP, Hickson GS, Wiles MR. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1986; [9:27]-32

From the abstract:

Hypertension, therefore, may be regarded as a prime condition warranting specialized care that includes proper education during the formative years, modification of dietary habits in conjunction with daily exercise regiment, and regular spinal maintenance, all of which are covered by modern chiropractic clinical practice.

Evidence for a possible anti-hypertensive effect of basic technique apex contact adjusting. Dulgar G, Hill D, Sirucek A, Davis BP, ACA J of Chiropractic, 1980;[14:97]-102.

A statistically significant drop in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure in normotensive (normal blood pressure) subjects was found under chiropractic care. The authors write that spinal care .. “might offer a drugless means of lowering blood pressure in essential hypertensive patients.” The effects of upper cervical adjustment upon the normal physiology of the heart. Tran AT, Kirby JD. J Am. Chiropractic Association, 1977; 11/S: 58-62. Upper cervical adjustments were found to have a hypotensive effect. Blood pressure, results in 75 abnormal cases. Hood Robin P. Digest of Chiropractic Economics. May/June 1974

This is a paper describing seventy-five patients with abnormal blood pressure in a two-year study on chiropractic care. Thirty-eight of the patients were taking or had been taking prescribed drugs for hypertension and many still had high blood pressure even on the drugs. Chiropractic care involved spinal adjustments using the Gonstead method of spinal care. The patient’s diet was also modified to eliminate refined, processed foods, soft drinks, stomach-sleeping and high pillows.

Results: Before care the average blood pressure of the 67 hypertensive patients was 163/93.8. After care it was 130.4/82. Before care the average blood pressure of the 8 hypotensive patients was 100/67.5, after care it was 114/76.3