How Common is GERD? Does Chiropractic Care Help with Digestive Disorders?
A case study published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research on July 11, 2016, documented a case of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) being helped by chiropractic in an adult patient.
The Mayo Clinic website describes GERD by stating, “Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic digestive disease. GERD occurs when stomach acid or, occasionally, stomach content, flows back into your food pipe (esophagus). The backwash (reflux) irritates the lining of your esophagus and causes GERD.”
GERD is a common disorder. The study reports that 44% of the US population suffer from heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux symptoms at least once per month, 14% suffer weekly, and 7% have symptoms daily. Typical treatment for mild to moderate cases is over-the-counter antacids. More severe cases are medically treated using proton pump inhibitors (PPI).
In this case, a 35-year-old man presented himself to the chiropractor for help with GERD and mid back pain that he had been suffering with for the past two years. His problems were made worse by certain positions of his torso. Consuming certain foods including large meals, fried foods, spicy foods, and alcohol also made his condition worse. Medications and dietary change did not seem to help his situation which led him to try chiropractic care.
A chiropractic examination was performed including palpation, thermographic studies, and x-rays. Subluxations were determined to be present and a specific series of adjustments were begun to correct the detected subluxations.
During the initial portion of care, the patient noted that he did not have GERD symptoms after each of his adjustments. In one instance, he went several weeks without any symptoms until an incident at home caused a minor return of some GERD symptoms. His condition continued to improve under chiropractic care until he no longer needed the medication he was taking for his condition.
“A 35-year-old male presented for care with mid-back pain and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The patient suffered with these symptoms almost daily and was taking Prilosec to control condition,” the authors wrote in their conclusion. They summed up the response to chiropractic care by noting that “…the patient had resolution of GERD symptoms and improvement in quality of life.”
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