Tag Archives: motor vehicle accident

Sense of Smell Returns with Chiropractic Care

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What is Anosmia? Can Chiropractic Care Affect Senses?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Improvement Following Chiropractic Care in Boy with Traumatic Brain Injury

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What is TBI? Can Chiropractors Help Traumatic Brain Injuries?

Published in the October 20, 2016, issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health is a case study showing a young boy who had suffered from issues related to a traumatic brain injury (TBI) being helped with chiropractic. According to the Mayo clinic, “Traumatic brain injury occurs when an external mechanical force causes brain dysfunction.”

improvement-following-chiropractic-care-in-boy-with-traumatic-brain-injury-austin-tx-pediatric-chiropractor-kids-children-baby-infant-son-daughterTBI occurs at a high rate in the general population. According to the Centers for Disease Control, 1.7 million people sustain a TBI each year. Of these, it is estimated that 52,000 cases die, 275,000 people are hospitalized, and 1.365 million, about 80%, are treated and released from hospital emergency departments.

The study authors report that the usage of chiropractic for TBI is well documented and fairly common. However, in a literature search for research articles on chiropractic and TBI in children, this current study may be the only one that has been published.

In this case, an 11-year-old boy was brought to the outpatient clinic of a chiropractic college in Florida. The boy was experiencing decreased coordination in his left hand as well as a decrease in strength in his right leg. He was also exhibiting altered and slower speech.

The boy’s history revealed that the boy was in a motor vehicle accident five years earlier and sustained a traumatic brain injury along with a fractured right wrist, right femur, and pelvis. Prior to the accident, his mother reported that he broke his left wrist from a fall. His mother also stated that previous doctors had told her that nothing could be done to improve her son’s coordination. His family physician diagnosed the boy with traumatic encephalopathy, intellectual functioning disability, and acne.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included a postural inspection, spinal palpation, range of motion, and a variety of orthopedic testing. The conclusion based upon the examination was the presence of subluxations in the boy’s spine.

Over an eight month period of time, the boy’s coordination improved. He was also able to pronounce words more clearly, and his ability to perform certain types of exercises improved greatly. The boy’s mother reported that her son was able to perform daily living activities much better and had been hitting baseballs in the batting cage.

The study quoted one of the mother’s reports of her son’s improvement when she stated, “The other day he ran to me saying he was able to tie his shoes and had me watch him. He was not able to button his pants, dress himself, or tie his shoes before coming here to the clinic. Now he is able to button his pants, dress himself, and tie his shoes without any help. He is getting better grades in school and is now participating in sports and activities in his Physical Education class. He is so much happier and more independent.”

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

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Female Infertility Helped with Chiropractic Care: A Case Series

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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