Bilateral Sciatica Helped with Chiropractic According to Study

What is Sciatica? Can Chiropractic Care Help Sciatica?

On September 22, 2016, a study was published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research documenting chiropractic helping a patient with bilateral sciatica. Sciatica is a term that means pain down the sciatic nerves which run on each side from the buttocks down the back of the leg to the foot.

bilateral-sciatica-helped-with-chiropractic-according-to-study-austin-tx-best-chiropractor-office-reviews-google-yelpThe sciatic nerve is the largest nerve in the body. It is actually comprised of fibers from several nerve roots exiting from several levels of the spine. In addition to pain, sciatica can also involve weakness, numbness, or a loss of motor control down the leg. Sciatica usually involves some type of mechanical compression on the sciatic nerve or the sources of the sciatic nerve.

According to the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health, 70% of the population in industrialized countries will suffer back pain at some time. It is estimated that between 13 to 40% of the public will suffer from sciatica at some time in their lives. Annually, it is estimated that between 1 and 5% of the population deals with this issue in a given year.

In this case, a 77-year-old man went to the chiropractor. The man was suffering from bilateral sciatica which started a year earlier after a car accident. The pain was so severe that the man was unable to walk more than four steps. In addition to the sciatica, the patient was suffering from diabetes, depression, and constipation.

A chiropractic examination was performed on the man which included range of motion, palpation, infrared paraspinal thermal scans, spinal x-rays, and motion x-rays. The man’s range of motion was limited due to pain, and palpation showed areas of tenderness over the pelvis at the origin of the sciatic nerve. From the examination and x-ray findings, a determination was made that subluxations were present in the patient’s spine.

Specific chiropractic adjustments were given to address the subluxations found to be present. After a month and a half, totaling eleven visits, a re-examination was performed. At that time, the man reported that his sciatica had been significantly reduced. He also reported that he was able to walk for a longer distance than before. His range of motion was also greatly improved.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, “Sciatica and other lumbar radicular syndromes are painful conditions that can cause significant disability to a patient.” They also noted that specific chiropractic care for the reduction of vertebral subluxations can have a positive effect on bilateral sciatica symptomatology.

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

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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