Study Finds 21 Percent of Patients are Misdiagnosed

Do I Need A Second Opinion?

A study published in the Journal of Evaluation in Clinical Practice on April 4, 2017, found that more than 20 percent of patients are misdiagnosed. The study titled “Extent of Diagnostic Agreement Among Medical Referrals” looked at the diagnosis originally given to patients and compared that to the diagnosis later given upon the patient seeking a second opinion.

Study Finds 21 Percent of Patients are Misdiagnosed - Austin-TX-Chiropractor-Sciatica-Leg-Pain-Butt-Down-FootThe study reviewed the records of 286 patients who were referred by their primary care doctor to the Mayo Clinic’s General Internal Medicine Division in Rochester, Minn., over a two-year period from Jan. 1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2010.

Overall, the results showed only 12 percent of those seeking a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic had their diagnoses confirmed. However, 21 percent of the patients had their diagnosis completely changed, while 66 percent of those patients received a refined or redefined diagnosis. Overall, the study showed that almost 88 percent of patients seeking a second opinion at the Mayo Clinic receive a new or refined diagnosis.

Previous research cited in the new study showed that errors in diagnosis “…contribute to approximately 10 percent of patient deaths.” Additionally they “…account for 6 to 17 percent of adverse events in hospitals.”

“Effective and efficient treatment depends on the right diagnosis,” said study co-author James Naessens, a health care policy researcher at the Mayo Clinic, in an April 4th press release in Science Daily. “Knowing that more than 1 out of every 5 referral patients may be completely [and] incorrectly diagnosed is troubling — not only because of the safety risks for these patients prior to correct diagnosis, but also because of the patients we assume are not being referred at all.”

In a Washington Post article, Mark L. Graber, a senior fellow at the research institute RTI International and founder of the Society to Improve Diagnosis in Medicine, who was not involved with the study noted, “Diagnosis is extremely hard. There are 10,000 diseases and only 200 to 300 symptoms.” He added, “Doctors are humans, and they make the same cognitive mistakes we all make. If you are given a serious diagnosis, or you’re not responding the way you should [to medication], a second opinion is a very good idea. Fresh eyes catch mistakes.”

Second opinions are still encouraged, but the concern is that they may be limited due to in-network insurance issues preventing patients from seeking second opinions. In response to the problem of diagnosis error, the National Academy of Medicine has called for dedicated federal funding for improved diagnostic processes and error reduction.

It is obvious that there is an increase in cost both in diagnosis and medical treatment if the first diagnosis is not confirmed by the second opinion. However, Naessens sums up the concerns if a second opinion is not sought saying, “Total diagnostic costs for cases resulting in a different final diagnosis were significantly higher than those for confirmed or refined diagnoses, but the alternative could be deadly.”

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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Gait, Balance and Coordination Improved with Chiropractic

A long-term case study published on February 9, 2017, in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research followed the improvement received from chiropractic care of an elderly man with a long list of health issues including difficulty in walking, balance, standing and overall mobility. Mobility, musculoskeletal pain, and balance are of key concern to the geriatric population and have a significant impact on the quality of life.

Gait, Balance and Coordination Improved with Chiropractic Pregnancy Newborn Infant Pediatric Care to Older Adult Elderly Care Health WellnessPain plays a key role in the abilities of a senior to function normally. According to a 2014 study in the Journal of Physical Therapy Science. “Spinal pain is the most common of all chronic pain disorders. In a previous study, 24.6% of older adults with chronic pain reported back pain.”

In this case, an 85-year-old man presented himself to the chiropractor for a variety of health concerns. His chief complaints for which he went to the chiropractor were difficulty walking and poor posture. In addition to the issues he sought chiropractic for, he also had a number of prior medical diagnoses that included benign prostatic hypertrophy, osteoporosis, heart valve insufficiency, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, angina, and other assorted problems. Most of his issues were being treated medically. As a result, the man had been prescribed eighteen different medications that were being taken on a daily basis.

A chiropractic examination was performed. This included a range of motion study, paraspinal thermography, a postural analysis, spinal motion palpation and spinal x-rays. As expected, the man’s range of motion in all areas was significantly reduced. His head was carried in a forward position causing a roundness of his shoulders. The spinal x-rays on this patient showed considerable calcium buildup indicative of intervertebral degenerative joint disease, spinal arthritis, and old compression fractures of several of his vertebrae.

Based on the findings of all the examination procedures, the diagnosis for this man was healed compression fractures, calcification of the abdominal aortic, atherosclerosis, abnormal postural and vertebral subluxations in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar regions of the spine. With this diagnosis, chiropractic care was rendered.

This study recorded the chiropractic care and progress for this man over an eight year period. Over that time, a variety of chiropractic techniques were utilized. The study records that, over time, the man’s overall health improved and he experienced improvement in gait, balance stability, coordination, posture and reported an increase in strength in the lower extremities. The man’s medical doctor also noticed the changes and commented that the patient was healthier while under chiropractic care. In addition, he was able to get himself in and out of a chair, and was able to reduce the amount of prescription and over the counter medication he was taking.

The author of this study summed up the implications of this study by noting, “Age related musculoskeletal problems can cause impairment in a patient’s balance and gait. An unstable person on their feet puts them at a higher risk of falling and as age increases so does the risk of falling.” She continued to explain how this can help by saying, “Individuals over the age of 65 years of age that suffer from musculoskeletal dysfunctions may benefit from chiropractic care. Chiropractic care focuses on the vertebral subluxation complex (VSC).”

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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Trigeminal Neuralgia Helped with Chiropractic Care – A Case Study

What is Trigeminal Neuralgia? What is Tic Douloureux?

The November 14, 2016, issue of the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published a case study of a patient suffering from daily Trigeminal Neuralgia pain being helped with chiropractic. According to the study author, “Trigeminal Neuralgia (TN), ‘tic douloureux,’ French in origin meaning ‘painful spasm,’ is a widespread neurological disorder that is often misdiagnosed as a dental or jaw problem, and has been even said to be a psychological disorder.”

Trigeminal Neuralgia Helped with Chiropractic Care-Austin-TX-Chiropractor-Brain-Spine-Back-Neck-Pain-Headaches-Migraines-Best-ReviewsThe study reported that between 12.6 to 27 per 100,000 people suffer from TN. The problem is more common in woman and is less common in people under the the age of 40 years of age, with the average age of a person at onset being near 60 years old. The pain from TN is often severe and debilitating, often creating a significant change in the life of someone suffering from this problem. Because of this, unemployment rates of people suffering with TN is 34%.

In this case, a 55-year-old woman suffering with TN in her right jaw went to the chiropractor. The woman reported suffering an episode at least once daily for the past 6 months. The episodes were aggravated by activities such as chewing, talking and stressful situations. She was medically diagnosed with TN and given medications that she claimed did not help her issues.

A chiropractic examination was performed which consisted of a postural analysis, range of motion, leg length analysis, bilateral weight scales and spinal x-rays. Based on the examination, subluxations were determined to be present and specific forms of chiropractic adjustments were performed to correct the subluxations.

After the patient’s first adjustment, she reported that her pain completely went away and she remained pain-free for four days. She considered this remarkable as she was getting the TN pain on a daily basis prior to her first adjustment. After three months of care, the patient reported only experiencing two episodes of TN up to that point. Thereafter, she no longer had any reoccurrence of TN at all. The study noted that the woman stated that she is beyond astonished to finally be able to have discovered relief and reestablish her life.

The study author summed up this case by stating, “The chiropractic management of a 55-year-old patient suffering from trigeminal neuralgia is presented in this case study. Comprehensive improvement and alleviation of symptoms were achieved and recorded. This case supports the evidence of chiropractic care in relieving neurological disorders based on anatomical association and interference.”

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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Resolution of Breech Pregnancy with Chiropractic

What is Breech Position? Can Chiropractic Care Help Turn Breech Babies?

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a case study on November 28, 2016, documenting the resolution of a breech presentation pregnancy as confirmed by ultrasound following chiropractic.

Resolution of Breech Pregnancy with Chiropractic-Austin-TX-Chiropractic-Fertility-Babies-Infants-Toddlers-Pediatric-Birthing-CenterThe study begins by pointing out that as delivery is closer, the ideal position for a fetus is called vertex. This is where the fetus has the head downward with the back of the head facing forward. A breech presentation is when the buttock is positioned to exit the vaginal canal before the head. A breech birth can create a number of issues including problems with dilation and compression of the umbilical cord. Additionally issues including baby inhaling fluids, higher death rates, neurological issues, cerebral palsy, fractures and brachial plexus traction injuries can occur from this situation.

In this case, a 27-year-old woman who was 35 weeks pregnant came to the chiropractor. At that time, her fetus was in the breech position. She was also experiencing some intermittent pain in the tailbone region that was worse at night and relieved by changing positions. The woman had heard about the Webster technique, used by chiropractors, that has shown success with breech pregnancies.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included palpation, a postural analysis, and thermal scans. Based on the examination, chiropractic was started using specific forms of adjustments and the Webster technique.

After the first adjustment, the patient noticed the baby moving at night. On her next visit, she stated that she believed her baby had turned and that she had an appointment with her obstetrician scheduled. On the third visit to the chiropractor, the woman confirmed that an ultrasound examination by her obstetrician showed the fetus had moved into the normal vertex position. She also reported that her other conditions had improved by 90% since starting chiropractic care.

The authors of this case study also conducted a literature review of similar cases and noted that the documented cases show the Webster technique having a 95% success rate in having breech pregnancies return to the normal vertex.

The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA), founded by the late Dr. Larry Webster defines the chiropractic technique he developed as, “The Webster technique is a specific chiropractic analysis and diversified adjustment. The goal of the adjustment is to reduce the effects of sacral subluxation/ SI joint dysfunction. In so doing neuro-biomechanical function in the pelvis is improved.” The ICPA further explained the relationship between breech pregnancy resolution and the Webster technique by saying, “In regards to pregnant mothers, Dr. Webster reported that when a mother sought care and her baby was in a breech position, the restoration of pelvic neuro-biomechanics with this adjustment also frequently facilitated optimal fetal positioning.”

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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U.S. Doctors Continue Prescribing Unnecessary Drugs, Survey Says

Do Antibiotics Treat Viruses? What is a Superbug?

The headline above comes from a December 5, 2016, United Press International story reporting on the results of a survey of doctors. The survey, conducted by the American College of Physicians, asked 5000 of their members to identify two drug treatments frequently used by internists that were unlikely to provide high value care to patients.

U.S. Doctors Continue Prescribing Unnecessary Drugs, Survey Says-Austin_TX_Chiropractor_for_Chiropractic_Health_Natural_Spine_Back_BestIn spite of the fact that the doctors knew that the drug treatments they were prescribing were of no value or little value, 27% said that they administered antibiotics even though they knew the drugs would not be effective. The most common scenario described was for upper respiratory illnesses that are mostly caused by viruses. Viruses are not affected by antibiotics making the use of those drugs totally worthless in those situations.

Other scenarios revealed by the survey showed that 9% of the aggressive treatments for terminally ill patients were of “questionable value.” Additionally, 7% of medications for chronic pain were determined to be of little value according to the survey of doctors who gave out these drugs.

Dr. Amir Qaseem, vice president of clinical policy for the American College of Physicians (ACP) and chair of the ACP’s High Value Care Task Force, commented, “There is a lot of waste in our health care system, and we need to acknowledge that.”

The overuse of antibiotics has contributed to the increase of deadly superbug bacteria that are resistant to antibiotic treatments. The UPI article reports that according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in the United States alone, more than 2 million people a year are infected with bacteria that are resistant to antibiotics. Even worse is that at least 23,000 of these people die each year as a direct result of these untreatable infections.

The CDC estimated that half of all antibiotics given to patients are not necessary. This translates into approximately 47 million unnecessary prescriptions for antibiotics in the U.S. each year.

Dr. Qaseem tried to explain why some doctors are adding to this situation by saying, “If a patient shows up in a physician’s practice and they have an upper respiratory tract infection, it is most often viral and will resolve itself in a few days,” Qaseem said. “You tell the patient to go home, rest, and it will be OK, but generally the expectation of a patient is that you will do something more than that.”

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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Athletes at World Games Utilize and Benefit from Chiropractic According to Study

Do Athletes Utilize Chiropractic Care? Do Chiropractors Treat Sports Injuries?

The Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics published a retrospective study in their November/December 2016 edition that reviewed the usage of chiropractic care during the World Games in Cali, Colombia, from July 25 to August 4, 2013.

Athletes at World Games Utilize and Benefit from Chiropractic According to Study-Austin-TX-Chiropracty-Sports-Training-Hockey-Football-BestThe study begins by noting the overall increase of chiropractic utilization in the United States and Canada has risen from 4% in 1980 to 14% in the U.S. by 2015. They report that a high percentage of the people seeking chiropractic care do so for musculoskeletal issues related to back pain.

The authors also reported that in another study of 1.7 million people, having access to insurance that includes chiropractic care caused a significant reduction in overall medical expenditures with specific decreases in spinal surgery and all back-related medical treatments.

Chiropractic care was rendered at the games by 40 doctors of chiropractic and observed by six researchers. This was arranged by the International World Games Association (IWGA) who contracted with the Fédération Internationale de Chiropratique du Sport (FICS) to provide free chiropractic care to athletes and support staff who were accredited at this event.

In the review of chiropractic utilization at the 2013 World Games the study showed that 537 of 2964 accredited athletes received chiropractic care during the games. This represents a utilization rate of 18.1% for the athletes. The utilization for the accredited non-athletes was lower with 403 of 4131 in this group receiving chiropractic care. This showed a utilization rate of 9.8% for non-athletes.

Athletes seeking chiropractic care were from 68 of the 93 participating countries. Of the total of 33 sporting events at the games, athletes from 28 of those sports sought chiropractic care. The breakdown showed that the largest utilization rates were from bowling scored at 48%, with water skiing being second at 42%, then fistball at 41%, and wushu with 41% of those athletes seeking chiropractic care.

Of the athletes who sought chiropractic, 37% had an acute or newer conditions, while 55% had chronic or long-term problems. The non-athletes presented themselves for chiropractic at a ratio different from the athletes with only 20% having acute conditions, while 61% were suffering from a chronic condition. Those receiving chiropractic reported good results. The study showed that 86.9% patients reported immediate improvement after receiving chiropractic.

In their conclusion, the study authors reported, “The majority of people seeking chiropractic care at an international sporting competition were athletes. For those seeking care, the injury rate was higher among athletes than among non-athletes. The majority of patients receiving chiropractic care reported improvement after receiving care.”

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

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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Erectile Dysfunction and Chronic Low Back Pain Helped with Chiropractic

What is ED? What are Treatments for ED? Can Chiropractic Care Help Erectile Dysfunction?

Published on December 5, 2016, in the journal Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research is a case study of a man who was suffering from lower back pain and erectile dysfunction being helped by chiropractic.

Erectile Dysfunction and Chronic Low Back Pain Helped with Chiropractic-Austin-TX-Chiropractor-Sciatica-Shooting-Leg-Thigh-Buttocks-PainAccording to the study authors, erectile dysfunction (ED) is defined as a man’s inability to attain or sustain an erection satisfactory for sexual intercourse. They report that there are two classifications of ED, primary and secondary. Primary ED is a man who has never been able to have an erection, while secondary is the case where a man used to be able to have an erection but is currently unable to.

According to the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health website, “About 5 percent of men that are 40 years old have complete erectile dysfunction, and that number increases to about 15 percent of men at age 70. Mild and moderate erectile dysfunction affects approximately 10 percent of men per decade of life (i.e., 50 percent of men in their 50s, 60 percent of men in their 60s).”

In this case, a 47-year-old man went to the chiropractor on three separate occasions for the complaints of lower back problems and neck pain. At those times, he did not report that he had also been suffering from ED since the age of 22 years. He did have a history of spinal trauma at the ages of 16 and 20 years.

An examination performed on this first set of visits to this chiropractor yielded the conclusion that subluxations were present in the man’s spine. Care was given in the form of specific adjustments and the man reported a significant recovery. He thereafter decided not to continue with chiropractic wellness and he discontinue his care.

Several years later, the man returned to the chiropractor again suffering from lower back pain. Once again care was given and the man experienced a significant recovery. This time he was able to resume sports and activities fairly quickly which led to him suffering a neck injury several months later.

Although the man did not share his history of having ED with the chiropractor initially, upon returning for chiropractic care related to his neck injury, the man noticed the correlation between the correction of his ED and the time he was under chiropractic care. Because of this connection, the man continued his chiropractic on a wellness basis and was able to report to the chiropractor that his ED was effectively eliminated while under chiropractic care.

The man commented about his ED improvement by saying, “For a short time after receiving an adjustment it is much easier and highly more likely that (he) will attain and maintain a strong erection.” When asked by the doctor if he will be maintaining his chiropractic care since he has made the connection between that and the improvement in his ED, he commented, “Of course!”

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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Severe Neck Pain, Anterior Head Positioning and Spondylolisthesis Helped with Chiropractic

What is Spondylolisthesis? Can Chiropractic Care Help Degenerative Pain?

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study on November 7, 2016, reporting on chiropractic helping a woman suffering with severe neck pain, neck stiffness, and pain in the upper back associated with spondylolisthesis in her neck.

severe-neck-pain-anterior-head-positioning-and-spondylolisthesis-helped-with-chiropractic-austin-tx-chiropractor-back-pain-help-fast-best-reviews-nextdoor-app-yelp-google-facebookOn the website WebMD, spondylolisthesis is defined as “…a condition in which one bone in your back (vertebra) slides forward over the bone below it. It most often occurs in the lower spine (lumbosacral area). In some cases, this may lead to your spinal cord or nerve roots being squeezed. This can cause back pain and numbness or weakness in one or both legs.”

The authors of this study further describe this condition as it relates to the neck by stating, “Spondylolisthesis of the spine refers to an anterior or posterior displacement of vertebrae relative to the vertebrae below. In the cervical spine, anterior or posterior vertebral displacement typically results from degenerative or traumatic causes.” This form of spondylolisthesis is known as degenerative cervical spondylolisthesis (DCS).

In this case, a 52-year-old woman suffering from neck pain, neck stiffness, and thoracic pain went to the chiropractor seeking relief. The woman reported that she experienced the pain frequently. She described the pain as severe, resulting in a tense and swelling sensation in her lower neck and upper back areas.

X-rays of the woman’s neck showed that the fourth vertebrae in her neck (C4) had moved significantly forward over the top of the fifth neck vertebrae (C5). Additionally, her C6 vertebrae had also move forward over her C7 neck vertebrae. The x-rays also showed that, overall, the woman’s head was significantly forward of a normal head position.

Based on the x-rays and a chiropractic examination, specific chiropractic care was started. After 30 visits, a re-evaluation was performed. This new examination with x-rays showed that the woman’s spondylolisthesis had been measurably reduced in both areas of her neck. Additionally, her overall head position had greatly improved. Due to these positive changes, the woman reported a complete resolution in her pain, stiffness, tension, and swelling.

In explaining how the mechanism for spondylolisthesis occurs, the authors of the study stated, “Abnormal posture, translational instability of vertebral segments, and abnormal facet angles have all been found to be predisposing factors for cervical degeneration and spondylolisthesis. These physiological changes can result in altered biomechanics leading to increased stress on the intervertebral discs and joints of the spine.”

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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Speech and Coordination Developmental Delays Helped by Chiropractic – A Case Study

Can Chiropractic Help With My Kids Development? Do Chiropractors See Children?

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a study on October 10, 2016, reporting on the case of a toddler suffering with developmental delays in speech and coordination being helped through chiropractic care.

speech-and-coordination-developmental-delays-helped-by-chiropractic-austin-tx-chiropractor-pediatric-health-wellness-safe-pregnancy-laborThe study begins by discussing the increased usage of complementary alternative medicine (CAM) by children. CAM consists of a wide variety of non-medical forms of health care. While some classify chiropractic as a separate and distinct form of healthcare, many classify it within the umbrella of CAM professions. The authors note that several studies have shown that chiropractic is the most popular form of CAM for children in the U.S. since an initial study in 2007. They report that one in four children with common neurological conditions use some form of CAM.

In this case, a 2-year-old boy was brought to a chiropractic clinical training center for evaluation. The toddler had developmental delays in speech and coordination. According to his mother, her son was delayed and had consistently failed to meet developmental milestones. His symptoms included below average locomotion skill, delayed hearing comprehension and expressive communication, and difficulty swallowing certain food textures. The boy was born several weeks pre-mature and had suffered one seizure when he was three months old.

The boy had been receiving speech and physical therapy for one year prior to any chiropractic care. The therapy did show some signs of improvement. The therapy consisted of 30-minute sessions twice a month for six months designed to increase the child’s motor skills through the use of therapeutic play, gait training, ball skills and a home program. The boy’s physical therapist performed several standardized tests prior to chiropractic care that measured and confirmed the boy was developmentally delayed.

An examination was performed which included a visual inspection, palpation, and a postural analysis. Based upon the history and the examination, subluxations were determined to be present affecting the child’s spine and nervous system. Specific chiropractic adjustments were given to address the subluxations.

The study records that the boy responded well to care with a steady improvement in his speech and coordination. His mother also reported that his “outbreaks” had decreased to only occurring rarely, late at night, if her son was tired. In a follow up examination performed by the physical therapist after starting chiropractic care, there was a continual improvement in the boy’s developmental issues.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, “This case report informs clinical practice and research on the possible benefits of chiropractic care in children with developmental delays through chiropractic adjustments to address the presence of subluxations.”

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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