Tag Archives: dizziness

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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Chiropractic Helps Patient with Depression, Insomnia, Premenstrual Syndrome and Headaches

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What Are the Symptoms of Depression? Does Chiropractic Care Help Depression?

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study on November 21, 2016, documenting a patient suffering from depression, insomnia, and premenstrual syndrome improving under chiropractic care for the correction of vertebral subluxations.

Chiropractic Helps Patient with Depression, Insomnia, Premenstrual Syndrome and Headaches-Austin-Texas-Chiropractor-Brain-Spine-Sports-Specialist-Best-ReviewsThe study begins by noting that according to some studies, depression is one of the most common mental disorders affecting about 16% of the general population. This issue is about twice as common in women as in men. The authors list the symptoms associated with depression as including “…long-lasting depressed mood, loss of interest or pleasure in hobbies and activities that were once enjoyed, decreased energy, fatigue, feelings of worthlessness, feelings of helplessness, feelings of guilt, feelings of anxiety, difficulty concentrating, difficulty making decisions, insomnia, early-morning awakening or oversleeping, weight loss or weight gain, recurrent thoughts of death and or suicide.”

Typical medical treatment involving drugs is estimated to be only effective in lessening symptoms in half of the cases. The study also reports that about half of those with depression seek some type of non-medical care in the form of complementary and alternative medicine. The most common reasons people state they seek non-medical care was dissatisfaction with medical care, especially severe medication side-effects, and the safety of alternative care.

In this case, a 27-year-old woman suffering with the chief complaints of depression, insomnia, severe effects from premenstrual syndrome (PMS), and headaches went to a chiropractor in hopes of finding help. In addition to her primary complaints, she also reported that she occasionally suffered from dizziness, mood swings, buzzing in ears, stiff neck, constipation, menstrual pain, irritability, back pain, urinary problems, nervousness, upset stomach, cold feet, and heartburn.

A chiropractic examination was performed that consisted of a posture analysis, complaints-related subjective questionnaires, autonomic nerve system activity analysis, surface electromyography (sEMG) and thermal scan. From this examination, a determination was made that multiple subluxations were present in the woman’s spine. Specific forms of chiropractic care were started to address the subluxations.

After three months of care, a reassessment was performed that showed many of the original examination findings had improved. Additionally the patient reported improvement in her symptoms noting that her depression, sleep issues, PMS, headaches, and digestive issues had all significantly improved.

In their discussion, the authors of the study explained, “Although there are many approaches for depression, chiropractic is considered a viable management option. The major motivating factors behind the use of chiropractic care is its safety and its natural, health-oriented approach.” They summed up the results this woman received in this case by stating, “The patient’s overall health was not optimal, quality of life and well-being was decreased. After three months of chiropractic care, the patient’s depression-related symptoms significantly decreased and the patient reported an increase in overall health, well-being and quality of life.”

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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Stroke Risks While Under Chiropractic Care; No Evidence For Causation

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With the recent headlines of chiropractic manipulation allegedly causing stroke we have listed some recent and relevant meta-analysis studies that have been done on this topic.  Below is a summary of the conclusions of some recent studies as well as a more in depth overview of the topic.

  • We found no significant association between exposure to chiropractic care and the risk of VBA stroke. We conclude that manipulation is an unlikely cause of VBA stroke. The positive association between PCP visits and VBA stroke is most likely due to patient decisions to seek care for the symptoms (headache and neck pain) of arterial dissection. We further conclude that using chiropractic visits as a measure of exposure to manipulation may result in unreliable estimates of the strength of association with the occurrence of VBA stroke. http://chiromt.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12998-015-0063-x

stroke-risks-while-under-chiropractic-care-no-evidence-for-causation-austin-tx-chiropractor

According to the American Heart Association (2010), a stroke “…is a disease that affects the arteries leading to and within the brain. It is the No. 3 cause of death in the United States, behind diseases of the heart and cancer. A stroke occurs when a blood vessel that carries oxygen and nutrients to the brain is either blocked by a clot or bursts. When that happens, part of the brain cannot get the blood (and oxygen) it needs, so it starts to die…Stroke can be caused either by a clot obstructing the flow of blood to the brain (called an ischemic stroke) or by a blood vessel rupturing and preventing blood flow to the brain (called a hemorrhagic stroke)…The brain is an extremely complex organ that controls various body functions. If a stroke occurs and blood flow can’t reach the region that controls a particular body function, a stroke will ensue, then that part of the body won’t work as it should” (http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/AboutStroke/About-stroke_UCM_308529_SubHomePage.jsp).

The AHA (2010) also posts signs and symptoms of an impending stroke. These include numbness or weakness of one side of the face, sudden confusion, difficulty speaking or understanding, problems seeing out of one or both eyes, sudden trouble walking, dizziness, loss of balance or coordination, and severe and sudden headaches with no known cause.

The blood supply to the brain is provided through the vertebral arteries and the carotid arteries. Problems in any of these arteries can result in the development of a thrombus (clot) or an embolism. If the thrombus is large enough it can occlude the normal blood flow. If an embolism occurs, it can move through the circulation into the brain and occlude blood flow. Either way, a stroke can be the result of these situations. One of the unique characteristics of strokes of this nature is that they can involve neck pain and headache.

Many patients will seek chiropractor care for neck pain and headaches. In the great majority of cases, the pain involved is not related to a stroke. However, on occasion, it may be. When the pain is related to a stroke, some of these patients developed a full range of stroke symptoms. Over the years, reports in the popular press and the scientific literature have suggested or stated outright that in patients who experience a stroke following chiropractic care, the stroke was caused by the chiropractor! We now know that this is very unlikely to be the case. What is far more likely is that the patient developed a thrombus or embolism in their vertebral arteries, producing neck pain and headache. This person sought health care for the pain. Whether they saw a chiropractor or their medical provider, they would progress on to a stroke at virtually the same rate. While the argument that the chiropractor caused the problem is convenient, the science indicates that it is in all likelihood a mistake to draw such a conclusion.

In 2008, Cassidy, Boyle, Côté, He, Hogg-Johnson, Silver, and Bondy  studied the occurrence of this problem in the province of Ontario over a nine year period with a database representing almost 110 million person-years (12.2 million people, studied over 9 years equals 110 million person-years). The purpose of this study was to investigate if an association between chiropractic care and vertebral basilar artery stroke exceeded the association between medical primary care providers and vertebral basilar artery stroke. The premise was that if there was a greater association between chiropractic care and this stroke then one could logically say there was a cause and effect relationship between chiropractic care and this problem. There was no greater likelihood of a patient experiencing a stroke following a visit to his/her chiropractor than there was after a visit to his/her primary care physician. The results were conclusive; there was no greater association between manipulation (chiropractic adjustments) and ischemic stroke or TIA’s (transient ischemic attacks).

The research did conclude that overall, 4% of stroke victims had visited a chiropractor within 30 days of their strokes, while 53% of the stroke cases had visited their medical primary care providers within the same time frame. The authors offer the perspective that because neck pain is associated with some stroke, patients visit their doctors prior to the development of a full-blown stroke scenario. Cassidy et al. (2008) noted, “Because the association between chiropractic visits and [vertebral basilar artery] stroke is not greater than the association between PCP [medical primary care providers] visits and [vertebral basilar] stroke, there is no excess risk of [vertebral basilar] stroke from chiropractic care” (p. S180). In fact, the incident of chiropractic vs. medical care was substantially lower in certain situations based upon the data.

In 2010, Murphy considered the argument that a chiropractic manipulation could cause stroke and concluded, “…if this is a possibility, it would have to be considered so rare that a case-control and case crossover study covering over 109,000,000 person-years failed to detect it” (http://www.chiroandosteo.com/content/18/1/22). He also reports that “… in 20% of cases of [vertebral artery dissection and stroke] the individual does not have neck pain or headache and in a very small percentage of vertebral artery dissections can occur in a person who has no symptoms of any kind. Thus, in cases in which an asymptomatic individual experiences [vertebral artery dissection and stroke] after [chiropractic manipulation] it is not clear whether manipulation was a cause or contributing factor to the dissection or whether the patient had an asymptomatic arterial dissection prior to the chiropractic visit” (Murphy, 2010, http://www.chiroandosteo.com/content/18/1/22). He concluded his report with the following, “…current evidence indicates that [vertebral artery dissection and stroke] is not a ‘complication to [chiropractic manipulation]’ per se. That is, the weight of the evidence suggests that [chiropractic manipulation] is not a cause of [vertebral artery dissection and stroke]…” (Murphy, 2010, http://www.chiroandosteo.com/content/18/1/22).

The real issue is not whether chiropractic or medical primary care causes stroke, as the research conclusively refutes this, but rather it is an issue of public awareness and perception. The argument must shift to the real issue of protecting the public and making people aware of the importance of recognizing risk factors and of getting immediate care to avoid long term disability or death.

Murphy (2010) offers the following advice, “…engage in a public health campaign to educate the public about the warning signs and symptoms of this uncommon but potentially devastating disorder…public education materials regarding stroke in general are available from organizations such as the American Stroke Association

 

(http://www.strokeassociation.org/presenter.jhtml?identifier=3030387 accessed 1 April 2010) the National Stroke Association

(http://www.stroke.org/site/PageServer?pagename=HOME accessed 1 April 2010) the British Stroke Association

(http://www.stroke.org.uk/information/index.html accessed 22 May 2010), the Heart and Stroke Association of Canada

(http:/ / www.heartandstroke.com/ site/ c.ikIQLcMWJtE/ b.2796497/ k.BF8B/ Home.htm?src=home accessed 22 May 2010) and the National Stroke Foundation – Australia

(http://www.strokefoundation.com.au/ accessed 22 May 2010)…” (http://www.chiroandosteo.com/content/18/1/22).

References:
1. American Heart Association, Inc. (2010). About stroke. Retrieved from http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/AboutStroke/About-stroke_UCM_308529_SubHomePage.jsp
2. American Heart Association, Inc. (2010). Warning signs. Retrieved from http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/WarningSigns/Warning-Signs_UCM_308528_SubHomePage.jsp
3. American Heart Association, Inc. (2010). Ischemic (clots). Retrieved from http://www.strokeassociation.org/STROKEORG/AboutStroke/TypesofStroke/IschemicClots/Ischemic-Clots_UCM_310939_Article.jsp
4. Cassidy, J. D., Boyle, E., Côté, P., He, Y., Hogg-Johnson, S., Silver, F. L., & Bondy, S. J. (2008). Risk of vertebrobasilar stroke and chiropractic care: Results of a population-based case-control and case-crossover study. Spine, 33(45), S176-S183.
5. Murphy, D. R. (2010). Current understanding of the relationship between cervical manipulation and stroke: What does it mean for the chiropractic profession?Chiorpractic & Osteopathy, 18(22), http://www.chiroandosteo.com/content/18/1/22

Written by Gerard Clum DC, Past President, Life Chiropractic College West & Mark Studin DC, FASBE (C), DAAPM, DAAMLP

Woman with Vertigo Helped by Chiropractic

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What is BPPV? Can Chiropractic Help Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo?

On August 25, 2016, a study was published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research documenting the case of a woman suffering from Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo being helped by chiropractic. The term vertigo is often interchanged with dizziness. However, Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo (BPPV) is more exactly described as a spinning sensation perceived with changes of head position and movement.

woman-with-vertigo-helped-by-chiropractic-austin-tx-chiropractor-for-dizziness-balance-brain-and-cerebellumBPPV is fairly common. The Vestibular Disorders Association reports that this problem occurs in 107 out of 100,000 people per year. Over a lifetime, about 2.4 percent of the population will suffer this condition, which is more common in women than men.

In this case, a 33-year-old female teacher presented herself to the chiropractor. She was suffering with BPPV. According to the woman, her vertigo was constant, aggravated by movement, and she was unable to find relief. She described the feeling like being on a cruise ship all day, and she was nauseous. She was unable to walk fast or make sudden movements without making the problem worse. She was unable to drive and had to be driven to her appointments. The woman also reported that, additionally, she was experiencing neck and lower back pain.

In the preceding seven years, the woman had experienced three prior episodes of vertigo. It was reported that her medical doctor “shook her head” and the vertigo was relieved. When her new episode occurred, her MD prescribed medication which the woman refused to take since she was nursing her baby.

A chiropractic examination was performed consisting of palpation, thermal scans, a surface EMG study, and spinal x-rays. It was determined that vertebral subluxations were present and a program of specific chiropractic adjustment were initiated.

The case study reports that by the third chiropractic visit, the woman was experiencing fewer vertigo episodes. Additionally, her neck and back pain had decreased. The woman continued to improved, and by the fourth visit, she was able to drive herself to the office for her appointment. By the 14th visit, the vertigo had resolved and the woman no longer had any of her original symptoms.

In their conclusion, the authors explain how chiropractic helps patients suffering with vertigo by stating, “The various connections between vertebral subluxation, the vestibular system, and altered neurological responses have been explored. It is therefore suggested that those suffering with vertigo seek chiropractic care before resolving to medication or surgery, as chiropractic adjustments address the cause of neurological dysfunction, rather than masking symptoms.”

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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Meniere’s Disease with Vertigo Helped by Chiropractic According to Study

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What is Meniere’s Disease? Can Chiropractic Care Help Meniere’s? How is Meniere’s Disease Diagnosed?

On June 3, 2016, the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published a study showing chiropractic helping patients with Meniere’s disease (MD). According to the National Institutes of Health website, “Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes severe dizziness (vertigo), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness or congestion in the ear. Meniere’s disease usually affects only one ear.”

Meniere's Disease with Vertigo Helped by Chiropractic According to Study - Car Accident Whiplash Treatment Chiropractor in Austin TXThe study reports that a diagnosis of Meniere’s disease is reached when all other possible diseases with the same symptoms are ruled out. The study author reports that, “According to the Prosper Meniere Society a diagnosis of Meniere’s disease requires at least two spontaneous episodes of vertigo, each lasting 20 minutes or longer, hearing loss verified by a hearing test on at least one occasion, tinnitus or aural fullness and exclusion of other known causes of these sensory problems.”

In this study, 300 patients suffering from Meniere’s disease underwent a chiropractic examination. This included a case history, a physical and postural examination, thermographic heat studies and spinal x-rays of the upper portion of the neck. In all 300 of these patients, it was reported that there was some sort of prior neck trauma, such as whiplash, years earlier.

In each of the cases, a conclusion of the presence of subluxations in the upper neck area was made. With this information, specific forms of chiropractic adjustments appropriate to each of the patients was made when indicated.

Patients in this study were asked to rate their condition on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 being no symptoms and 10 being the worst imaginable. Prior to the study, the average rating given by the participants was 8.5 out of 10. Most patients reported that their condition made daily activities such as driving, working or socializing difficult to engage in.

After six weeks of chiropractic care, the average score lowered from 8.5 down to 3.0. In long-term follow-ups, the scores continued to improve reducing to 2.0 after one year, 1.4 after two years, 0.9 after three years, and eventually leveling off at a rating of only 0.8 thereafter. In 291 of the participants, chiropractic care had a profoundly positive effect on their condition and their lives, improving their ability to work, drive and have a better relationship with their spouse.

In the study conclusion the author wrote, “One hundred percent of three hundred consecutive patients medically diagnosed with Meniere’s disease also having suffered a whiplash trauma is unlikely coincidental.” He continued, “All patients with a history of vertigo should be questioned about a history of trauma, especially whiplash from an automobile accident, contact sports injury, or serious falls. Patients often forget these accidents, thinking that they were not hurt because they did not break any bones and were not bleeding.”

Based on the findings in this study, the author recommends that all patients suffering from vertigo with a history of some sort of trauma should be evaluated by a chiropractor.

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.

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Meniere’s Disease Helped with Chiropractic – A Case Report

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In the November 30, 2015, issue of the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research, is a case study showing a patient suffering from Meniere’s disease being helped with chiropractic. According to the Mayo Clinic website, “Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes episodes in which you feel as if you’re spinning (vertigo), and you have fluctuating hearing loss with a progressive, ultimately permanent loss of hearing, ringing in the ear (tinnitus), and sometimes a feeling of fullness or pressure in your ear.”

Meniere's Disease Helped with Chiropractic Austin-TX-Chiropractor-celebrity-downtownThe authors of this case study discuss how common this condition is by reporting that there are currently approximately 615,000 people in the United States diagnosed with Meniere’s disease and 45,500 new cases are diagnosed each year. In many cases, Meniere’s disease is associated with dizziness, nausea, vomiting, visual disturbances and severe equilibrium dysfunction.

In this case, a 63-year-old woman suffering from Meniere’s disease went to a chiropractor after unsuccessful surgical management for her condition. She had been suffering with this problem for 14 years without relief. The woman’s symptoms included unsteadiness, nausea, ongoing hearing loss, anxiety, and a jerking or twitching of her eyes. Upon her first visit to the chiropractor, her condition was so bad that she was unable to walk unassisted and required her husband’s assistance.

A chiropractic examination was performed and showed a restriction in the motion of her neck as well as pain upon neck pressure and positive palpation findings, muscle tone changes, and functional leg length deficiencies. X-rays of the upper neck were taken and it was determined that subluxation was present in the upper neck. Based on the examination and x-ray findings, specific chiropractic adjustments were begun to correct subluxation.

The results were nearly immediate in this case. In describing the results of her first chiropractic adjustment the woman stated, “As soon as I sat up I was normal again.” She continued, “It was great to have the feeling that I would not have to take medication any longer to make it go away.” Her recovery was so complete that she was able to discontinue her medications for the Meniere’s disease she had been treating medically for 14 years.

In noting how unsuccessful medical care is for cases of Meniere’s disease, as well as the possibility of medical and surgical side effects, the authors note in their discussion that, “There needs to be more awareness and improved education toward helping those individuals whom suffer with Meniere’s disease to find a safer and less invasive solution to their problem.”

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.

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Pregnant Woman with Migraines, Hypothyroidism, and Tachycardia Helped with Chiropractic

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Can Chiropractic Help Pregnancy Related Issues? Can Chiropractic Care Help Delivery?

From  the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, a case study published on March 25, 2015, reports on the case of a pregnant woman suffering from migraine headaches, hypothyroidism, and tachycardia being helped with chiropractic.

Pregnant Woman with Migraines, Hypothyroidism, and Tachycardia Helped with Chiropractic - Austin TX ChiropractorThe study authors begin by pointing out that the use of chiropractic by pregnant women is fairly common. A survey of women between the ages of 18 and 49 years who were pregnant or had children less than 1 year old found that 37% of pregnant women and 28% of postpartum women reported using some form of CAM (complementary or alternative medicine) in the last 12 months. Of the practitioner-based CAM therapies, chiropractic remains the popular choice for care.

In this case, a 28-year-old woman, who was in the 14th week of her pregnancy, presented herself for chiropractic care. A previous pregnancy resulted in a cesarean delivery. She sought chiropractic care in the hopes that it would help improve her chances of an easier labor and a vaginal delivery. From her medical physician, she had received a diagnosis of hypothyroidism with mild tachycardia, and occasional migraine-type headaches.

A chiropractic analysis was performed consisting of a spinal postural analysis, and spinal  range of motion, as well as static and dynamic palpation. From this, it was determined that subluxations were present in the upper cervical, pelvic, and upper thoracic spine.  Chiropractic adjustments were begun and continued throughout her pregnancy.

On several occasions during her chiropractic care the woman would experience a variety of symptoms such as headaches, pelvic pain, and dizziness.  These problems were quickly corrected after her chiropractic adjustment.

During the 30th week of her pregnancy, the woman fell at home and her obstetrician’s discovered that her fetus had moved from the proper vertex position to a transverse lie.  She received two chiropractic appointments, and performed a set of recommended inversion exercises at home. Shortly thereafter, she reported that she felt her baby had shifted back into the normal vertex position.  This was confirmed by her medical physician.

The study reports that the woman was able to successfully carry her fetus through a normal labor, and at 40 weeks plus 4 days, she delivered a baby girl vaginally weighing 8 lbs., 9 oz., and measuring 21 inches long.

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.

Improvement in Quality of Life with Multiple Sclerosis from Chiropractic Care

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Can Chiropractic Care Help Multiple Sclerosis (MS)?

From the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research on December 11, 2014, comes a research case study documenting the improvement in the quality of life of a woman with Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The study reported on both the functional and symptomatic improvement noticed by this MS patient.

Improvement in Quality of Life with Multiple Sclerosis from Chiropractic Care | Austin TX ChiropractorThe study authors begin by explaining that, “Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating disorder that affects the white matter of the brain, spinal cord, and optic nerves.”  They note that MS affects 250,000 to 350,000 people in the United States with a total of 2.5 million people worldwide.

Most cases of MS appear between the ages of 20 to 40, with those in their 30s being the most common decade for the problem to occur. Women are twice as likely to have MS, and many people relapse over time.

For the study rational the authors commented, “Because MS is a neurologically-based disease and chiropractic deals with the function of the nervous system as it relates to the brain-body connection, investigation into the effects of chiropractic care on MS patients is appropriate.”

In this case, a 36-year-old woman went to the chiropractor with a diagnosis of MS by her medical physician. She was suffering with a large variety of symptoms related to her MS including fatigue, difficulty sleeping, low back pain, mid back pain, neck pain, lack of mobility of the cervical spine, headaches, dizziness, loss of concentration, nervousness, tenseness, numbness in arms and feet, burning sensation in feet, irritability, and mood swings.

A chiropractic examination was conducted which included palpation, range of motion, thermal scans, surface EMG scans, and spinal x-rays. It was determined that spinal subluxations were present and chiropractic care was begun.

After the first visit, the woman reported immediate improvement in a number of her symptoms. At the one-month mark, she reported that she had a “… 60% improvement in neck pain, clearer thinking, more alertness, more energy, a feeling of being more relaxed, better ease with standing, lifting, bending and driving, improvements in balance, more confidence and strength during gait, more ease in falling asleep and improved quality of sleep, and more mobility and increased cervical ROM (range of motion).”

The researchers noted that one case study does not mean that all cases will respond with the same improvement. However, this case does add to the body of evidence provided by a prior larger study performed in 2004 showing the link between chiropractic and the improvement of MS.  “A retrospective analysis of 44 patients with multiple sclerosis showed that 90% of these patients reported improvement of their symptoms while undergoing a five year course of IUCCA (a specific type of chiropractic adjustment), upper cervical care. Twenty-eight of these patients (70%) showed improvement with or absence of the majority of their symptoms. No further progression of the disease was reported by any of the 44 patients during the care period.”

For more information about how chiropractic care can help manage MS, please read this very informative Health Research Reports – Interference and Your Nervous System.

If you are, or someone you know is, suffering with Multiple Sclerosis related issues, call (512) 452-2525 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Swanson today.