Tag Archives: medications

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

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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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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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America’s Other Drug Problem: Too Many Prescriptions for Elderly

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Does Being Under Chiropractic Care Help Reduce Medications? What Else Can I Do Besides Take Drugs?

The headline above comes from an article published on September 4, 2016, in the Los Angeles Daily News. The article was originally produced on August 30, 2016, by Kaiser Health News, and highlights the over usage of prescription medication on seniors.

americas-other-drug-problem-too-many-prescriptions-for-elderly-austin-tx-chiropractor-for-best-chiropractic-care-near-meThe article begins with observations by Dominick Bailey, a clinical pharmacist specializing in geriatric care at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, California. In performing his job of reviewing medication that the patients are taking, he noted several medications for elderly patients that were contraindicated and could cause harm. One 74-year-old patient, who had a history of multiple health problems, was on 36 different medications. Bailey’s reactions was, “This is actually a little bit alarming.”

Dr. Maristela Garcia, director of the inpatient geriatric unit also at UCLA Medical Center in Santa Monica, commented, “This is America’s other drug problem-polypharmacy, and the problem is huge.”

The article reports that, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the elderly account for about 35 percent of hospital stays. However, they note that over half experience drug-related complications causing hospital stays to be extended by an average of about three days.

One of the issues pointed out in the article is that many medications are being given to the elderly with no time line to ever consider discontinuing them. “There’s a tendency in medicine every time we start a medicine to never stop it,” stated Dr. Ken Covinsky, University of California, San Francisco researcher and physician.

One of Bailey’s responsibilities at the UCLA Medical Center is to reduce the number of medications the elderly are taking. He also explains his concepts to other pharmacists and young interns at his center. In one such exchange, he explained that there is a fundamental difference on how drugs affect older people, “As you know, our elderly are already at risk for an accumulation of drugs in their body,” he told the group. “If you put a drug that has a really long half-life, it is going to last even longer in our elderly.”

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, among older Americans (aged 60 and over), more than 76% used two or more prescription drugs, and 37% used five or more.

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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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.

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Improvements in Autism Spectrum Disorder Following Chiropractic Care

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What Happens With Autism? Can Chiropractic Care Help Autistic Children?

A study published on May 26, 2016, in the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health documented the case of a 4-year-old boy with Autism being helped with chiropractic. The study authors begin by explaining, “Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is an early developmental disorder characterized by deficits in social communication and interaction, with restrictive, repetitive behaviors, causing significant impairment in social, occupational, or other areas of function, that are not better explained by intellectual disability.”

Improvements in Autism Spectrum Disorder Following Chiropractic Care - Austin TX Chiropractor for Pediatric Kid Care BestThe study points out that the diagnosis of ASD has dramatically increased over the past decade. They report, “In 2014, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported that 1 in 68 children are classified as having ASD, up from 1 in 110 in 2006. ASD affects more than 400,000 children in the United States and is the third most common developmental disorder in children.”

The current medical treatments for children with ASD involve antidepressants, antipsychotics, and anti-seizure medications. Other studies show that over 50% of children diagnosed with ASD have received at least one form of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) such as chiropractic. Over seventy-five percent of those showed some improvement.

In this case, a 4-year-old boy diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder was brought to a chiropractic clinic by his mother and father. Their son was language delayed and was unable to formulate words or communicate but was able to cry out and make guttural sounds. The boy could hear commands but would only respond with temper tantrums. He was also frequently hurting himself on purpose but would exhibit no pain. Since birth, the boy also regularly suffered from the flu, frequent colds, ear infections and allergies. He was frequently on antibiotic medications.

A chiropractic examination was performed on the boy and a determination was made to correct the subluxations that were found. Initially, the child was seen 15 times over the course of 8 weeks.

After the first adjustment, the child made his first eye contact with the chiropractor. By the third visit, his parents reported that their son seemed to be understanding direction better, but overall had been acting more aggressively. By the fourth visit, the boy was trying to verbalize but was unsuccessful at that time. By the sixth visit, the child started using some single words such as eat, car, or Auntie. On the eighth visit, the boy asked his father for a hug.

On the 15th visit, the boy’s mother was given a standardized test to evaluate her son’s autism improvement. The results showed that the boy had a 34.8% improvement in his speech/language/communication score; his sociability score improved by 50%; he showed a 50% improvement in his sensory/ cognitive awareness score; and a 31.4% improvement in his health/physical/behavior score.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, “With a growing body of case studies on chiropractic and ASD, this study serves to strengthen the relationship between reduction of vertebral subluxation and improvements in function in patients with ASD.”

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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