Tag Archives: headaches

Pregnant Woman with Surgical Spinal Rods Helped with Chiropractic

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Do Chiropractors Treat Pregnancy Related Pain? Is Chiropractic Safe with Surgical Rods?

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published an unusual study on March 23, 2017, documenting the case of a pregnant woman with lower back pain being helped by chiropractic. What makes this case unusual is that the woman had previous spinal surgery and had Harrington rods inserted into her spine.

Pregnant Woman with Surgical Spinal Rods Helped with Chiropractic-Austin-TX-Chiropracor-Labor-Delivery-Pregnancy-Low-Back-Pain-Sciatica-Restless-LegsAccording to Wikipedia, the Harrington rod is a stainless steel surgical device that was implanted along the spinal column to treat curvatures of the spine, or scoliosis. Up to one million people had Harrington rods implanted for scoliosis between the early 1960s and the late 1990s.

The study begins by noting that chiropractic care for pregnant women has been a popular occurrence for much of the chiropractic profession’s history. Commonly, women seek chiropractic care to address physical complaints such as pregnancy-related musculoskeletal complaints. However, many pregnant women seek chiropractic for wellness care and to improve the birth experience.

In this case, a 28-year-old woman who was in her 21st week of pregnancy, sought chiropractic care with a chief complaint of shoulder and neck pain, which she attributed to her scoliosis. She had surgery seven years prior for a moderate scoliosis. Harrington rods were inserted into her spine from her second thoracic to her second lumbar vertebrae.

She rated her constant pain as 6 out of 10, with 10 being the worst. She recalled that this episode started when she was lying on her left side and she felt a muscle tightened so tightly that it was pulling on the rods from her scoliosis surgery. Her pain was worse at night and was too painful for her to get a massage. Her left shoulder was restricted and she claimed that she could not lift anything with her left arm. Additionally, she reported that she occasionally suffered with headaches and sinus congestion.

A chiropractic examination was performed, and it was determined that subluxations were present. A series of specific chiropractic adjustments were begun to address the woman’s subluxations. After each adjustment the patient reported a decrease in her pain.

After 13 weeks of chiropractic care, it was reported that the woman’s pain had significantly decreased and was now only a 2 out of 10. Additionally, her posture had improved as had her spinal range of motion. A week later, the patient suffered a fall which caused a minimal increase in her symptoms. Care was continued and she continued to improve in most areas. She delivered a seven pound girl vaginally with minimal assistance.

The complexity of this case, due to the patient’s spinal surgery history, contributed to variations in her symptoms as care was given. Overall, the quality of her life was improved and she was able to deliver a healthy baby. In their conclusion, the study authors summed up this unusual case by stating, “This case report provides supporting evidence on the effectiveness of chiropractic care throughout pregnancy and in particular, pregnant women with surgical rods to address scoliosis.”

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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Fibromyalgia Helped Following Chiropractic: A Case Study

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What is Fibromyalgia? Can Chiropractic Care Help Fibromyalgia Pain?

On March 13, 2017, the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study documenting the improvement from chiropractic of a woman who had been suffering with fibromyalgia, widespread pain, fatigue, depression, and headaches.

Fibromyalgia Helped Following Chiropractic Austin TX Chiropractor Best Reviews Yelp Google Facebook NextdoorFibromyalgia is a chronic, widespread pain syndrome with an unknown medical cause. The word itself is actually a descriptive term that can be broken down into three words. “Fibro” is a Latin word meaning fibrous tissues such as tendons and ligaments. The middle part “my” is short for “myo” which is Latin for muscles. And the word “algia” is Latin meaning pain. The study authors note how common this problem is by stating that, “It is estimated to affect 2-3% of the American population and is the second most common diagnosis made in rheumatology clinics in the United States.”

Fibromyalgia is about ten times more common in women than men, and commonly starts between the ages of 60 to 79 years. Due to many patients with fibromyalgia also suffering from depression, common medical treatment is low-dose antidepressants as well as pain medication.

In this case, a 40-year-old woman went to the chiropractor with an 8-year history of medically diagnosed fibromyalgia. Her symptoms included widespread pain, including neck pain, mid and upper-back pain, and arm and shoulder pain. She was also suffering from headaches, high blood pressure, and depression. The medical care she had been receiving for her condition included three non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID) per day, seizure medication, and a series of three cortisone injections.

A chiropractic examination was performed to access the woman’s spine and nervous system. This consisted of postural evaluation, x-rays of the spine, paraspinal surface electromyography (sEMG), paraspinal thermography, range of motion (ROM), and motion and static palpation. Additionally, a 36-question short-form (SF-36) questionnaire was given. This questionnaire is a standard and verifiable measurement of quality of life as stated by the patient. It is often used to gauge the overall improvement of a patient in their abilities to have a normal and function life. The scores that the patient can give themselves in each of the areas range from 0 for the worst possible, to 100 representing the highest level of functioning possible.

The woman received a total of 44 chiropractic visits over a 5 month period after which a re-examination was performed and all tests were compared to the original findings. The study records that all objective findings showed improvement including the patient’s range of motion, the sEMG tests, as well as x-ray findings.

The SF-36 patient questionnaire showed considerable improvement in most all the areas as reported by the woman. Her emotional well-being improved 10 points from 39.6 to 49.6. Her reported energy/fatigue improved 37.5 points from a 16.6 to 54.1. She reported that her general health improved 35.0 points from a 3.0 to 38.0. As for pain, her original rating was a complete 0, which improved 36.7 points. Likewise she rated her physical functioning at 0 before her care which improved to 39.4 after chiropractic. Her limitations due to emotional problems improved 8.3 points from 50.9 to 59.2. The woman reported that her social functioning improved 37.5 points from an original 21.2 to 58.7 after chiropractic.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, “Reduction in radiographic vertebral subluxations and improvements in spinal alignment and posture, ranges of motion, musculoskeletal pain, headaches, and health-related quality of life were achieved using [chiropractic] on a patient diagnosed with fibromyalgia.”

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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Seizures Stopped Under Chiropractic Care

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How Common is Epilepsy? Does Chiropractic Care Help Seizures?

The Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published a case study on February 23, 2017, documenting chiropractic bringing about the resolution of seizures of a woman suffering from epilepsy. The authors of the study define epilepsy by saying, “Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes seizures in the absence of any underlying medical condition such as fever.”

Seizures Stopped Under Chiropractic Care Austin TX Chiropractor Head Neck Injury Pain Nervous System Best Reviews1Epilepsy is fairly common. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) estimated that in 2013, 1.8% of the population, equaling 4.3 million adults over 18 years of age, suffered with this affliction. The CDC also estimated that 1% of those under the age of 18 also have epilepsy. This means that a total of 5.1 million people in the U.S. alone suffer with this problem at a cost of $15.5 billion in healthcare costs each year.

In this case, a 22-year-old woman went to the chiropractor seeking help for her health issues. At that time, she was suffering from daily headaches and was getting a seizure about every third day. Her seizures would last from several minutes to up to an hour. Her medical care for these problems consisted of medications which were largely ineffective.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included a postural analysis, range of motion, orthopedic and neurological tests, thermographic studies, and x-rays. Findings of the test and x-rays were indicative of the presence of subluxation in the woman’s upper neck.

The patient completed a “Quality of Life in Epilepsy” patient survey (QOLIE-89) prior to beginning care to be used as a baseline, and to evaluate changes as care was rendered. On this initial test, the woman’s score was 29.27 indicating a very low quality of life. An average score for epileptic patients is 67.90 for this test.

As soon as chiropractic care was started, the patient reported that she stopped having headaches and no longer had any seizures. This improvement was noted after the very first visit and the patient remained headache-free and seizure-free throughout the course of her care. A follow up QOLIE-89 survey was performed and the woman’s score had increased to 80.715, an improvement in her score of 51.445 points, which is 12.275 points higher than the average.

This case was not an isolated one as the authors also reviewed several previous studies of chiropractic care for people with epilepsy. What they noticed was that, of the 17 cases documented in studies, 14 of those patients who were taking medication for their seizures did not see any benefit. However, when these patients received chiropractic care, 15 of the 17 reported positive outcomes.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, “This case adds to a body of evidence of patient-reported improvements in seizure activity following a course of subluxation based chiropractic 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. Austin chiropractor located in north central Austin, TX.

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Migraines, Chronic Sinus Congestion, and Teeth Grinding Helped with Chiropractic

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Can Children have Migraines? Does Chiropractic Work for Headaches and Migraines?

A case study published in the December 2016 issue of the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics records the case of a young girl suffering from migraine headaches being helped by chiropractic care. In addition to migraines, the patient also received help with sinus congestion and the grinding of teeth.

Migraines, Chronic Sinus Congestion, and Teeth Grinding Helped with Chiropractic - Austin Texas Chiropractor Motor Vehicle Car Truck Injury Accident Lawyer Attorney PIP LOPThe study begins by reporting that migraine headaches are the second most common cause of chronic recurrent headache in school children with a prevalence ranging from 3.2 to 14.5%. Migraines in children are different than adult migraines in that the episodes of children’s migraines are typically of shorter duration and occur on both sides of the head.

The International Headache Society has a list of five criteria for the classification of pediatric migraine without aura. These are:

  1. A minimum of 5 attacks fulfilling features B to D
  2. Headache attack lasting from 2 to 72 hours
  3. Headache has at least 2 of the following 4 features:
    1. Unilateral (frontal/temporal) location commonly bilateral in young children
    2. Pulsating quality
    3. Moderate to severe pain intensity
    4. Aggravated by or causing avoidance of routine physical activity
  4. During the headache at least one of the following:
    1. Nausea and/or vomiting
    2. Photophobia and phonophobia (may be inferred from their behavior)
  5. Not attributed to another disorder

In this case, a 6-year-old girl who was suffering from frequent migraines without aura was brought to the chiropractor. She had been suffering with migraines rated as 5 out of ten, three times per week for the past 6 months. The young girl described the migraine as a diffuse pounding sensation behind her forehead and she felt slightly nauseated. Her parents also reported that their child often ground her teeth at night and was suffering with chronic sinus congestion year round.

Six months after the start of her headaches, a chiropractic examination was performed and care was started. During the first month of care, the child was able to discontinue the ibuprofen she had been taking for her condition. The pain had reduced to a level of two out of ten and the frequency dropped to one headache per week.

Unfortunately, the girl and her family moved further away from the chiropractor and her care was discontinued. During the interruption in care, the girl had a flair-up of headaches which sent her to the hospital and medication was resumed. Several weeks later, her family decided to drive the hour-plus to return to her chiropractor for care.

After the resumption of care, the girl continued to improve to the point where she only experienced occasional mild headaches that did not interfere with her schoolwork or sports activities. Her chiropractic care continued and she was able to discontinue the headache medications. Additionally, her parents reported that their daughter did not grind her teeth as much at night and she wasn’t complaining of mild congestion after going to the pool or playing outside.

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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Fever Resolved in Child with Chiropractic Care

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Is A Fever A Good Thing? Can Chiropractic Care Help the Immune System Fight Infection?

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a case study on December 22, 2016, documenting the case of a young boy with acute fever being resolved with chiropractic. Fever is triggered by an activation of the immune system as it fights things such as bacteria and viruses.

Fever Resolved in Child with Chiropractic Care - Austin Texas Chiropractor Pediatric Kids Infants Babies Newborns Spinal CareThe Mayo Clinic states,  “A fever is a temporary increase in your body temperature, often due to an illness. Having a fever is a sign that something out of the ordinary is going on in your body.”  They continue by noting, “Fevers generally go away within a few days. A number of over-the-counter medications lower a fever, but sometimes it’s better left untreated. Fever seems to play a key role in helping your body fight off a number of infections.”

This study begins by pointing out that although there are many anecdotal reports of chiropractic being effective for cases of fever, there is little in the way of published studies on this subject. Most of the published evidence for chiropractic care is for musculoskeletal conditions such as back and neck pain. However, additional studies have shown chiropractic being helpful for conditions such as menstrual disorders, asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hypertension, colic, ear infections, and bedwetting.

In this case, an 11-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor. Five days before his chiropractic visit, he developed a fever along with symptoms of general malaise, fatigue, and behavioral changes such as decreased activity, lethargy, and decreased communication. His temperature was monitored by his mother and ranged from 101 degrees to 103 degrees Fahrenheit. The boy’s mother was giving him acetaminophen (such as Tylenol) every 4-6 hours with no change in the fever. After 2 days of the fever, the boy was seen by an MD and prescribed amoxicillin for acute unspecified upper respiratory infection.

A chiropractic examination was performed which showed muscle tightness and swelling. Additionally, spinal range of motion showed restrictions. Specific chiropractic adjustments were administered to the boy based upon the findings.

The boy’s mother checked her son’s temperature upon returning home which was approximately one hour after the chiropractic visit. She reported that her son’s temperature had returned to normal at 98.4 degrees. Additionally, she reported that her son’s energy increased and he returned to his normal behavior of being talkative, active, and had increased ability to focus.

The boy reported that within 60 minutes of the first adjustment he felt  back to normal  and was no longer achy, sore, or having headaches. His mother reported that his temperature remained normal and he continued to be energetic, talkative, and back to his regular level of activity.

In their discussion the study authors stated,  This case report outlined the care of a male child with acute illness resulting in both immunological and musculoskeletal symptom improvement within 60 minutes of treatment and was sustained at follow-up appointments.

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

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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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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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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

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.

Now You Know, Inc.

Asthma Resolved and Medication Discontinued After Chiropractic

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Can Chiropractic Help Asthma? Do Chiropractors see Kids with Asthma?

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a case study on September 5, 2016, documenting the case of a young patient suffering from asthma and headaches being helped by chiropractic.

asthma-resolved-and-medication-discontinued-after-chiropractic-austin-tx-chiropractor-pediatric-kid-child-health-wellnessAccording to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services, “Asthma is a chronic lung disease that inflames and narrows the airways. Asthma causes recurring periods of wheezing (a whistling sound when you breathe), chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing.” They estimate that currently 25 million people suffer with this problem.

The number of asthma cases and the impact on healthcare has continued to increase. The authors of the study report that in 2011, 1.8 million people visited an emergency room with the chief complaint of asthma. Additionally, 14.2-million people visited a general physician and reported asthma as their primary reason for the visit.

In this case, a 15-year-old boy with a chief complaint of asthma was brought to the chiropractor. In addition, he also reported stiffness in his neck and back, and muscle spasms. He also suffered from frequent headaches.

For the previous 7 or 8 years, the boy was reportedly taking three to five medications per day and using an inhaler as needed. If the boy was suffering from a cold or experienced a coughing attack, he was instructed to use his nebulizer three times a day in addition to a steroid taken orally once a day.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included inspection, palpation, a thermographic study, and both static and motion x-rays. Based upon the findings of the examination procedures, specific chiropractic adjustments were started on the boy’s spine.

The study records that after the second chiropractic adjustment, the boy reported decreased difficulty in breathing. Improvement continued, and after three months of care, the boy was able to discontinue all medications. The boy’s MD suggested he carry his inhaler in case of emergency, but several months later, the boy discontinued on his own accord. The study reports that his headaches also were completely resolved.

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.

Now You Know, Inc.