Tag Archives: car accident

Sense of Smell Returns with Chiropractic Care

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What is Anosmia? Can Chiropractic Care Affect Senses?

On February 27, 2017, the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study documenting a patient suffering a loss of the sense of smell (anosmia), which was corrected with chiropractic care. According to the Anosmia Foundation, between 2 and 5 million American adults suffer from some form of this condition.

Sense of Smell Returns with Chiropractic Care Austin ATX Chiropractor Nervous System Musculoskeletal System Body Care Health WellnessThe study reports that a loss of smell can be either partial or complete, and can be temporary or permanent. A complete loss of smell is rarer. The condition is more common in the elderly population. Some of the associated causes can include head trauma, sinus or nasal diseases, pathologies, toxic exposures such as cocaine abuse, and some very rare congenital anomalies. Several medical conditions have also been associated with a loss of the sense of smell. These include: Alzheimer’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and depression.

In this case, a 58-year-old woman came to the chiropractor for care related to her high blood pressure as well as symptoms from a recent car accident a month earlier. Her blood pressure condition had been present for 20 years since the birth of her son, and she was taking medication since that time. Since her car accident, she had been suffering with right shoulder and mid-back pain.

The woman reported that she had been involved in another car accident 9 years prior. It was immediately after this accident that she had lost her sense of smell. Her ability to smell had not returned since that time.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included palpation, a posture assessment, paraspinal surface EMG, and x-rays. Based on the findings, specific forms of chiropractic care were initiated.

The results of the care were objectively documented by improvements in the paraspinal surface EMG, the spinal x-rays and the other examination procedures that were performed.

Over the course of care, the woman reported that the pain from her most recent accident was dramatically reduced. Additionally, she noted that her sense of smell had completely returned.

The study authors noted that there is no standard medical care for anosmia. Many times, this condition is overlooked because of the concern of more severe injuries in post-traumatic accidents. A common medical treatment for this condition is the use of oral steroids. However, published studies on this type of treatment has shown that the use of steroids is just as effective as spontaneous recovery, but carries significant risk of side effects.

Because of the lack of successful medical treatment, and the increased risk due to steroid usage, the authors believe that additional studies into chiropractic for people with a loss of their sense of smell is warranted.

If you or anyone you know could benefit from a better functioning nervous system, please call us at 512-452-2525 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Swanson. Austin chiropractor located in north central Austin, TX.

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Meniere’s Disease Resolved with Chiropractic: A Case Study

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What is Meniere’s Disease? Can Chiropractic Care Help Inner Ear Disorders?

The Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published a case study on January 9, 2017, documenting the resolution of symptoms in a patient suffering from Meniere’s Disease. The American Hearing Loss Foundation defines this condition as, “Meniere’s Disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes episodes of vertigo, ringing in the ears (tinnitus), a feeling of fullness or pressure in the ear, and fluctuating hearing loss.”

's Disease Resolved with Chiropractic - Dizzy Austin Chiropractor Best Reviews Yelp Google Facebook Nextdoor AppSymptoms of Meniere’s Disease include vertigo (dizziness), tinnitus (ringing in ears), feeling of fullness in the affected ear, loss of balance, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. Estimates are that about 0.2% of the U.S. population, or about 615,000 suffer from this condition. Meniere’s is most common between the ages of 30 and 60 years. The symptoms can occur all at once or individually. Intermittent episodes can last anywhere from minutes to hours with varying intensity.

In this case, a 45-year-old man went to the chiropractor to see if he could be helped with his previously diagnosed condition of Meniere’s Disease. The man reported suffering from unpredictable episodes of fullness of the ear, tinnitus, and vertigo. He was taking Valium to try to control his symptoms. He reported that he would go a few months without symptoms but then they would return. He had been in two car accidents ten to fifteen years prior which he claimed caused a “pinched nerve” in his neck.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included a combination of x-rays, postural analysis, leg length measurements, manual palpation and thermography. From the findings, it was determined that subluxation was present in his upper neck. Specific chiropractic adjustments were begun to address the subluxation.

On the 24th visit, a re-examination was performed. At that time, the patient reported that his condition had improved 85% since starting chiropractic care. The patient noted that his quality of life had dramatically improved and he stated, “My most serious issues, vertigo and hearing loss, have been eliminated or drastically reduced.”

His secondary complaints of tinnitus and ear fullness had also improved, but were still minimally present and fluctuated from time to time. He remained under care to continue to improve. Follow-up x-rays confirmed an improvement in the subluxations noted on the first x-rays.

In the study’s conclusion, the authors gave an overview of the results by stating, “This case report outlines the subluxation based chiropractic care of a 45-year-old male suffering from Meniere’s disease following five months of care and twenty-four visits. The patient reported an 85% improvement of his condition with his primary complaints being completely eliminated or significantly reduced while his secondary complaints greatly improved.”

If you or anyone you know could benefit from a better functioning nervous system, please call us at 512-452-2525 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Swanson. Austin chiropractor located in north central Austin, TX.

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Anxiety and Panic Attacks Resolved Under Chiropractic Care

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Can Chiropractic Care Help Anxiety? Does Chiropractic Help Panic Attacks?

Published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research on October 17, 2016, is a documented case study of a woman suffering from panic and anxiety attacks being helped with chiropractic. The study begins by stating, “Anxiety disorders involve abnormal feelings of worry or fear that can interfere with daily activities such as job performance, school, work and relationships.”

anxiety-and-panic-attacks-resolved-under-chiropractic-care-austin-tx-chiropractor-best-reviews-yelp-google-nextdoor

The study notes that there are several different types of anxiety disorders, including generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and social anxiety disorder. It is estimated that 18% of the adult population in America are affected by some form of anxiety. Panic disorder has a significant impact on the quality of life and is characterized by sudden periods of intense fear. This can be accompanied by palpitations, pounding heart, or accelerated heart rate, sweating, trembling or shaking, shortness of breath, smothering or choking, and a feeling of impending doom.

Anxiety is commonly treated with medications or, psychotherapy. It has been well documented that the use of antidepressant medications has grown steadily in the past decade, and represents a growing health issue itself. In an attempt to seek alternatives to medications, more people are turning to other approaches including chiropractic care for anxiety.

In this case, a 49-year-old woman with a chief complaint of anxiety and panic attacks went to a chiropractic clinic in New Zealand. Associated with her anxiety, the woman was also suffering from tight gripping chest pains which began following three years of financial, work, family, and relationship stresses. She also had symptoms of gastrointestinal pain and discomfort, mild numbness of the arms and hands, tachycardia and headaches.

She had been prescribed an antidepressant drug which had reduced her chest pain but increased her anxiety and panic attacks. Her history included a significant amount of past physical, psychological and emotional trauma. Additionally, she had been struck by a car as a pedestrian and suffered a number of fractures and other injuries.

Chiropractic care was initiated at the rate of three visits per week. Within three weeks of beginning chiropractic care, the patient reported a reduction in anxiety and panic attacks. Overall, she reported much less anxiety and a significant reduction in the intensity and frequency of her panic attacks and chest pains. When she was experiencing panic attacks, she noted that she felt more in control, and was able to resolve them more easily. Because of this, she was able to reduce her medication.

By the tenth week of care, the patient reported that she felt better than ever and had not had a panic attack for the prior two weeks. After fourteen weeks of care, the woman reported a complete resolution of her anxiety, panic issues, as well as her related symptoms and she was able to discontinue her medication.

As part of their conclusions, the authors summed up the impact this study may have by noting, “Subluxation based chiropractic care may provide a significant contribution to the management of patients with anxiety disorders.”

If you or anyone you know could benefit from a better functioning nervous system, please call us at 512-452-2525 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Swanson. We are located in north central Austin, TX.

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Bilateral Sciatica Helped with Chiropractic According to Study

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What is Sciatica? Can Chiropractic Care Help Sciatica?

On September 22, 2016, a study was published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research documenting chiropractic helping a patient with bilateral sciatica. Sciatica is a term that means pain down the sciatic nerves which run on each side from the buttocks down the back of the leg to the foot.

bilateral-sciatica-helped-with-chiropractic-according-to-study-austin-tx-best-chiropractor-office-reviews-google-yelpThe sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It is actually comprised of fibers from several nerve roots exiting from several levels of the spine. In addition to pain, sciatica can also involve weakness, numbness, or a loss of motor control down the leg. Sciatica usually involves some type of mechanical compression on the sciatic nerve or the sources of the sciatic nerve.

According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 70% of the population in industrialized countries will suffer back pain at some time. It is estimated that between 13 to 40% of the public will suffer from sciatica at some time in their lives. Annually, it is estimated that between 1 and 5% of the population deals with this issue in a given year.

In this case, a 77-year-old man went to the chiropractor. The man was suffering from bilateral sciatica which started a year earlier after a car accident. The pain was so severe that the man was unable to walk more than four steps. In addition to the sciatica, the patient was suffering from diabetes, depression, and constipation.

A chiropractic examination was performed on the man which included range of motion, palpation, infrared paraspinal thermal scans, spinal x-rays, and motion x-rays. The man’s range of motion was limited due to pain, and palpation showed areas of tenderness over the pelvis at the origin of the sciatic nerve. From the examination and x-ray findings, a determination was made that subluxations were present in the patient’s spine.

Specific chiropractic adjustments were given to address the subluxations found to be present. After a month and a half, totaling eleven visits, a re-examination was performed. At that time, the man reported that his sciatica had been significantly reduced. He also reported that he was able to walk for a longer distance than before. His range of motion was also greatly improved.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, “Sciatica and other lumbar radicular syndromes are painful conditions that can cause significant disability to a patient.” They also noted that specific chiropractic care for the reduction of vertebral subluxations can have a positive effect on bilateral sciatica symptomatology.

If you or anyone you know could benefit from a better functioning nervous system, please call us at 512-452-2525 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Swanson. We are located in north central Austin, TX.

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Female Infertility Helped with Chiropractic Care: A Case Series

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Can Chiropractic Care Help Infertility? Can Chiropractic Care Help Me Get Pregnant?

From the September 15, 2016, issue of the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research comes a case series showing that chiropractic care resolved two documented cases of female infertility. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) define infertility as the inability to conceive after one year of attempting to do so.

female-infertility-helped-with-chiropractic-care-austin-tx-chiropractor-for-pregnancy-delivery-obgyn-helpThe study begins by noting that infertility affects approximately 11% of reproductive-age women, which accounts for approximately 6.7 million individuals. Many different mechanisms have been attributed to female infertility including hormonal issues, cysts, and ovarian dysfunction.

Medical assistance to achieve pregnancy includes several procedures such as in-vitro fertilization. The costs of these can range over $10,000 per attempt. These procedures and the drugs included are very invasive and can carry significant side effects. For these reasons, the study reports that more people have been turning to alternatives such as chiropractic.

In this case series, two individual women who were unable to conceive received chiropractic care. In the first case, a 28-year-old teacher with a primary complaint of infertility was recommended by a friend to seek chiropractic care. In addition to her infertility, she was also suffering from occasional headaches, allergies, indigestion, low energy, trouble sleeping, and depression. She also revealed a history of two significant motor vehicle accidents.

An examination revealed a significant reduction of range of motion in her neck. X-rays showed spinal misalignments in the upper neck. The conclusion was that subluxations were present and specific chiropractic adjustments were given to address the subluxations. Approximately one month into her care plan, the patient reported that she was pregnant.

The second case involved a 37-year-old woman suffering with upper back and shoulder tension, and infertility issues. She had two daughters that were conceived through fertility treatments. As with the woman in the first case, this woman also had a history of 2 significant motor vehicle accidents years prior to seeking chiropractic care.

An examination consisting of palpation, range of motion, thermographic studies, and x-rays confirmed the presence of subluxations in the woman’s spine. Specific chiropractic adjustments were performed to address the subluxations.

In this case, the woman noted a number of health improvements including less tension in her shoulders, improved sleep quality, more energy, more relaxed, fewer colds, increased overall comfort, and increased neck comfort, and an overall improvement in health in general. Within months of starting chiropractic care, the woman became pregnant without the assistance of medical fertility treatments of any kind.

In their discussion, the study authors explain that subluxations affect body function that can lead to a variety of health issues. They quote the Association of Chiropractic Colleges definition of subluxation which may explain subluxation best as “…a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health.”

If you or anyone you know could benefit from a better functioning nervous system, please call us at 512-452-2525 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Swanson. We are located in north central Austin, TX.

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