How Common is GERD? Does Chiropractic Care Help with Digestive Disorders?
A case study published in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research on July 11, 2016, documented a case of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) being helped by chiropractic in an adult patient.
The Mayo Clinic website describes GERD by stating, “Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a chronic digestive disease. GERD occurs when stomach acid or, occasionally, stomach content, flows back into your food pipe (esophagus). The backwash (reflux) irritates the lining of your esophagus and causes GERD.”
GERD is a common disorder. The study reports that 44% of the US population suffer from heartburn or gastroesophageal reflux symptoms at least once per month, 14% suffer weekly, and 7% have symptoms daily. Typical treatment for mild to moderate cases is over-the-counter antacids. More severe cases are medically treated using proton pump inhibitors (PPI).
In this case, a 35-year-old man presented himself to the chiropractor for help with GERD and mid back pain that he had been suffering with for the past two years. His problems were made worse by certain positions of his torso. Consuming certain foods including large meals, fried foods, spicy foods, and alcohol also made his condition worse. Medications and dietary change did not seem to help his situation which led him to try chiropractic care.
A chiropractic examination was performed including palpation, thermographic studies, and x-rays. Subluxations were determined to be present and a specific series of adjustments were begun to correct the detected subluxations.
During the initial portion of care, the patient noted that he did not have GERD symptoms after each of his adjustments. In one instance, he went several weeks without any symptoms until an incident at home caused a minor return of some GERD symptoms. His condition continued to improve under chiropractic care until he no longer needed the medication he was taking for his condition.
“A 35-year-old male presented for care with mid-back pain and gastroesophageal reflux disease. The patient suffered with these symptoms almost daily and was taking Prilosec to control condition,” the authors wrote in their conclusion. They summed up the response to chiropractic care by noting that “…the patient had resolution of GERD symptoms and improvement in quality of life.”
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The author of the study begins by noting that medical care for gastroesophageal reflux disease has not been shown to be effective. One study showed that the most common type of medication used for GERD has been shown to be no more effective that a placebo. Because of this, alternative care such as chiropractic is in great need for babies with this condition.
The study authors note that GERD is the most common reason for visits to a gastroenterology clinic in North America. They report that the prevalence of GERD is highest in North America at between 18.1 to 27.8% of the population having the condition. In Europe, the rate is about 9.8–18%, while in Asia, the rate is the lowest at only 5% of the population suffering from GERD at some point.
The study reports that 
The study begins by noting that about 5% of all births in the U.S. are either by forceps or by vacuum extraction. They report that forceps delivery is associated with an increased death rate during birth, and that vacuum extractions are associated with increased head injuries, facial paralysis, and other head and nerve problems. Chiropractors are interested in this problem from a standpoint of the effect these types of births have on the upper portion of the neck.