Asthma has become a large health concern for children in recent years. Over the past 20 years the incidence of asthma has doubled. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that in 1998, approximately 17,299,000 people in the United States, or 6.4% of the population, with cases among very young children up 160%. As reported in the June 16, 1999 issue of JAMA, the CDC also noted that between 1980 and 1994, the number of people self-reporting asthma grew 75%.

In a study conducted in 1996 by the Michigan Chiropractic Council (MCC), a panel of doctors performed an out-come assessment study to test the qualitative and quantitative effectiveness of chiropractic care on children with asthma. The high demand of parents seeking alternative care for pediatric asthma was shown by the overwhelming interest in the study. More than 500 parents called the MCC seeking to get their child involved in the chiropractic study.

The study, which took place during May and June of 1996, examined the chiropractic effectiveness in correcting the cause of asthma in patients from birth to age 17. The average age of the participant was 10 years. “After 30 days of chiropractic health care, patients averaged only one attack, whereas prior to the study they were experiencing more than four attacks,” said MCC Dr. Bob Graham, who directed the study. “Medications, which can be costly, were decreased by nearly 70 percent. Finally, patient satisfaction was rated 8.5 on a scale of 10.” More than 70 chiropractors from 62 cities in Michigan studied more than 80 children suffering from asthma.

Chiropractic care and holistic remedies can reduce the symptoms of ADHD, without the use of harmful medications and stressful treatments.

As proper brain activity is directly related to correct alignment and function of the spine, when the spine is out of alignment, it can create interference in the signals going to the brain and contribute to mental conditions. Chiropractic can help to correct the root of problem by removing misalignment’s, or “subluxations”, in the spine, thus relieving the symptoms of ADHD long-term and promoting brain development.

Diet also plays a big role in helping, or hindering, the symptoms of ADHD; we can help you to develop a plan to eliminate causes in the diet that may be contributing to ADHD symptoms.

Chiropractic treatment has transformed the life of Max Willson and his parents. Christina Hopkinson reports

Quentin Willson is not an obvious advocate of alternative medicine. This is the man, after all, who came to prominence as a presenter on that bastion of blokes, Top Gear, and named his daughters Mercedes and Mini.

He admits that until two and a half years ago, the most alternative potion he had ever taken was a vitamin C tablet. But after his taking his son Max to see a chiropractor, he has become one of the treatment’s most evangelical exponents.

“I’m startled by the difference in Max before and after chiropractic,” he says. “He has gone from being labeled autistic and needing a classroom assistant to becoming an active and feisty seven-year-old in mainstream education.”

Max was born in April, 1998 after a very difficult labor. The umbilical cord was wrapped twice around his neck as well as being knotted and, due to his heart rate slowing, he had to be delivered quickly. To add to his wife’s distress, Quentin was six hours late for the delivery. “I was stuck in the floods on the M40 with no mobile reception. Michaela thought I was dead.”

Quentin and Michaela soon noticed that Max was not developing in the same way that his elder sister Mercedes had done, seven years previously. His eyes didn’t focus, while his hand movements were more unco-ordinated that those of his contemporaries. But it was when Max went into education at four that they began to seek help. “You never want to admit to yourself that you’ve got a backward child,” he says, “but it was clear that he was very, very behind. He couldn’t concentrate, was hyperactive and demanding.” Every childhood hurdle was twice as difficult as it had been for his sister – he wore nappies until he was four, was impossible to wean from the bottle and had never slept through the night. Family outings such as visiting a restaurant or friends’ houses were impossible.

The Wilson’s consulted both state and private health professionals to try to discover what was wrong with their son and were given diagnoses including dyspraxia and dyslexia. They even began to think that Max was autistic as he demonstrated symptoms that are often associated with the disorder: he walked on tiptoes, had an obsession with soft clothes and didn’t like labels next to his skin.

They were at the point of putting Max on Ritalin, the drug that is used to treat children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, when they had an “almost surreal” revelation. Quentin went to pick Max up from a birthday party where “he’d done his usual trick of sitting underneath the table for two hours”. There, he met a mother who had been observing Max for the previous hour. She said that she thought his skeleton was out of alignment and that he should see the chiropractor she had used, Deirdre Edwards, who practices in Stratford Upon Avon, near to the Willsons’ home.

Chiropractic is a form of complementary medicine that uses manual spine manipulation to correct alignment and improve the function of the nervous system. Deirdre Edwards practices a type called McTimoney, which takes a holistic approach in examining not only spinal and skeletal misalignments, but also the patient’s general wellbeing and quality of life. Though deeply sceptical, the Willsons felt that they had nothing to lose in crossing yet another treatment off their list.

Deirdre remembers Michaela Willson coming into her practice with an air of resignation and exhaustion, while Max wreaked havoc in the waiting room. Deirdre put him through a range of assessments and discovered that he was delayed in several areas.

A feather touching his skin caused him to say “ouch”, and he had no sense of smell. He couldn’t stand on one leg or follow simple instructions. His eyes twitched involuntarily, he made facial grimaces, had staccato speech and licked his lips continually. But she did manage to make eye contact, which suggested to her that he didn’t have severe autism.

Once she had checked that it was safe to give chiropractic help, Deirdre began to palpate his body. “There are seven bones in the neck,” she says, “and four of his were severely misaligned, affecting the natural balance throughout the rest of his body. Even a lay person would have been able to see that Max had muscular build-up on the left side of his neck, so that it looked like he’d been lifting weights.”

Deirdre believes that this misalignment was strangling his neural cord so that Max “was twisted in such a way that the cord could not transfer messages down the body. He was lucky to be walking.” This over-firing of his nervous system was, she says, interfering with his ability to learn, in turn compromising his immune system and lead to the continual colds and throat infections that he suffered.

The Willsons remember the treatment not hurting Max at all. “It was just flicking the bones around his neck and shoulders,” says Quentin, but that night, Max slept continuously until morning for the first time since his birth, nearly five years before.

Deirdre continued to see Max about once a week for the first month, and then every 10 to 14 days. His speech, eating and abilities quickly improved to the point where he now only visits her once a month.

The Willsons are thrilled.

“He sleeps like a log and has lost all that weirdness,” says Quentin. “He no longer has a classroom assistant and we’ve taken him out of his second genteel preparatory school with five children in the class and put him into a little village state school where he’s flourishing. He’s still a bit behind because he effectively missed out on a couple of years of education, but you can reason with him and he’s reading and writing and it’s amazing. I can only put this down to the chiropractic.”

They are so convinced by the benefits of chiropractic that Quentin is determined to spread the word. “This is the unimpeachable testimony of a man who did not believe in it. We have to raise awareness, because it worked so thoroughly for my son and changed his life and ours. If I can help just one child that’s going through what we went through, then that’s my reward.”

Case Report: autism, otitis media. Khorshid K. ICA Review Fall 2001

This is the case of Victoria, a 3-year-old girl diagnosed with autism, who also suffered from serous otitis media and hearing difficulty. The girl had speech and communication deficits and was considered to be at 9-12 month level of development. An ENT specialist suggested tubes in the ears.

She was placed under chiropractic care. Within 3 weeks of her first chiropractic adjustment, there was complete resolution of her otitis media. It was noticed that her tantrums increased after drinking milk therefore a gluten and casein free diet was implemented and this brought about “terrific” cognitive and emotional improvement, social skills, language and reasoning skills.

Lawrence’ Story: autism and cerebral palsy. In-line with Oklahaven Children’s Chiropractic Center (newsletter), Spring 2001, Oklahoma City, OK. Six-year-old Lawrence was diagnosed with autism and cerebral palsy.

After beginning chiropractic care “Lawrence became more aware of the people around him and his surroundings. He took his first independent steps while receiving intensive treatments. He now walks 50 or 60 feet on his own, changing direction and standing still as necessary. He is also beginning to feed himself..His fine and gross motor skills have improved immensely and he has a range of different sounds he is making including experimenting with words.”

Chiropractic care and behavior in autistic children. Aguilar AL, Grostic JD, Pfleger B. Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol. 5 No. 1, 2000

This is one of the more ambitious projects regarding chiropractic and autism. Twenty-six randomly selected autistic children received nine months of upper cervical specific care. During this period they had four examinations during which their behavior and neurological response was monitored. Autism rating scales used were Childhood Autism Rating Scale and Modified Autism Behavior Checklist. (Orthospinology upper cervical chiropractic technique which is hypothesized to remove interference from the spinal cord and brainstem was employed as the chiropractic technique.)

The changes in children under chiropractic care included:

Children going off all medication (i.e.Ritalin, Dexadrine)

Improved bladder control

Improved digestion

Starting to speak/ speech improved

Decreased ear infections

Chronic colds stopped or decreased

Improved sleep

Improved eye/vision

Improved behavior

Five children enrolled for the first time in full time inclusion classroom settings.

Heather’ Story. Barnes T. in Kentuckiana Children’s Center Int’l Chiropractic Assn. Review Sept/Oct 2000.

Heather was diagnosed with autism and mild mental retardation. Her ability to walk began to deteriorate about the sixth or seventh grade. She frequently picked at her skin and had sores and scabs on her arms and legs. Her sleep patterns were erratic and she had large mood swings and tantrums. She had been seen by many orthopedists and neurologists and no cause for her condition could be found.

After Heather’s first chiropractic adjustment she was able to take some steps on her own. Additionally, the sores on her arms and legs began to heal and she started sleeping through the night. She continues her chiropractic care.

Case report: autism and chronic otitis media. Warner SP and Warner TM. Today’s Chiropractic. May/June 1999

This is the case report of a three and a half year-old girl with autism. She was non-verbal, had compulsive disorders, daily rituals, exhibited head banging and would become violent.

Within one month after beginning chiropractic care, her parents and teacher noticed a 30% improvement socially. After one year of care, an 80% improvement was noticed. Her head banging and other rituals diminished by 50% with less violent behavior.

She had chronic serous otitis media and had been on antibiotics for one year. Within a one-week period after her first adjustment, antibiotic use stopped due to a 70% improvement in her otitis media.

Autism, asthma, irritable bowel syndrome, strabismus and illness susceptibility: a case study in chiropractic management. Amalu WC. Today’s Chiropractic. Sept/Oct 1998. Pp. 32-47.

This is the case of a 5-year-old female diagnosed with autism, asthma, allergies, eczema, irritable bowel syndrome and left-sided strabismus. She had been experiencing 25 violent temper episodes per day, with each episode lasting up to 20 minutes. The episodes consisted of: ear-piercing screams, combative behavior and throwing herself onto the floor. She also exhibited three episodes each day of self-inflicted violent behavior, which included biting her arm, slapping her head and repeatedly banging her head against a full-length mirror.

She had at least one episode of violent behavior each day – hitting people, especially her mother. Speech was limited to a few words such as “mama,” “dada,” “milk” and “walk.”

Chiropractic care consisted of adjustment of the atlanto-occipital subluxation in the knee-chest posture with contact to the posterior arch of atlas.

Correction of the subluxation was determined by post-adjustment cervical thermal scan.

During the first week of care she had two adjustments. After the first adjustment, the patient had her first good night’s sleep since her mother could remember. Violent temper episodes had reduced from 25 per day to 15 per day with decrease in intensity. Mother noticed that reasoning with patient could stop them. Self-inflicted violent behavior was decreased in frequency. Her speech had improved with an increase in vocabulary. Sleep patterns had improved.

During the second week of care she had one adjustment. Her violent temper episodes decreased from 15 per day to five per day with continued decrease in intensity and more control over stopping them. Her right eye showed no more signs of strabismus. She began speaking in sentences for the first time, was able to nap without waking and could go back to sleep on her own at night. Mother reported a marked decrease in hyperactivity along with a desire to be touched and hugged.

During the third week of care she received one adjustment. Her violent temper episodes decreased to 2 per day with decreased intensity. She continues to use more speech to express her feelings. She exhibits strabismus in her left eye only when tired. Mother states there is little hyperactivity. Self-directed or outward violent behavior has ceased. Irritable bowel syndrome was much improved.

On her fourth week of care she received no adjustments. All temper episodes, hyperactivity, violent behavior had stopped. She is sleeping through the night. Eczema behind ears had cleared up and allergic skin reactions have stopped. The patient was then evaluated by two therapists who declared the diagnosis of autism was incorrect.

During weeks 6 and 8 she experienced a mild return of symptoms, an adjustment was given, and symptoms abated.

During weeks 9-12 no adjustments were needed. The IBS had almost completely resolved. She had continued improvement over next 8 months and had not experienced more asthma attacks.

Developmental communication disorder. Goldman, SR Today’s Chiropractic July/August 1995 p.70-74.

This is the case of a two-year old boy diagnosed with ‘developmental communication disorder.’ He was non-responsive to any external stimuli, even to receiving an injection. He did not respond to sound or touch.

Chiropractic analysis revealed an axis (C2) subluxation.

“On the third visit, when I walked into the room, he began to cry. That was the first time that he responded to anything happening around him. By the sixth adjustment, he started to follow certain commands and stopped making repeated hand motions. He started to talk after the 12th office visit.

At present, he has an extensive vocabulary and is slightly hyperactive; he is probably making up for lost time.”

Case study – autism. Rubinstein, HM Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol. 1 No. 1, April 1994.

This is the case study of a seven-year-old female diagnosed with autism. The child has a history of sexual and physical abuse. The girl would slowly turn in circles in place while singing an incomprehensible song with a glazed stare and blank expression.

Spinal examination revealed a right posterior and superior C1. She was adjusted about twice a week.

After ten months of care she was able to carry on conversations, carry out commands and dress and groom herself. Cognitive development progressed to where she was able to learn, read, and participate in public school.

The effect of chiropractic adjustments on the behavior of autistic children; a case review.

Sandeful, R, Adams E. ACA Journal of Chiropractic, Dec 21:5, 1987.

The authors reported that 50% of all autistic subjects under chiropractic care experienced reliable behavioral improvements, as recorded by independent observers.

It is reported by those working with autistic children that any change in behavior in an autistic child is considered to be significant. Behavioral improvements were observed in such diverse areas as picking up toys, use of sign language, reduction of self-abuse and appropriate use of language.

In an auto accident, our bodies tense up as an involuntary reaction and prepare for impact. This tensing process alone can throw the balance off in split seconds before impact occurs. Auto accidents are one of the leading causes for misalignment’s of the spine and discs. Joints, tendons, and other muscular aspects can also be affected by a car accident. In the treatment of the spine for auto-related injuries, chiropractic care can provide faster results with a shorter required care period than other types of treatment.

Chiropractic care for auto injuries provides a natural and drug-free approach to treatment. Not every human body is compatible with drugs or responds well to aggressive treatment plans, though chiropractic treatment may not work exclusively to fix injuries. Your chiropractor will work with you to create a unique treatment plan to address your individual concerns and ailments.

This is a case study of a 21-year-old female with a history since childhood of grand mal and petit mal seizures occurring every three hours.

Examination revealed subluxation/dysfunction at L5-S1, C6-C7 and C3-C4, retrolisthesis at L5, hypolordosis of the cervical spine and hyperextension at C6-C7.

Gonstead care was administered and at a 1.5 year follow-up, the patient reported her low back complaints had resolved and her seizures had decreased (period between seizures as great as 2 months).

The authors conclude, “Data suggests that epilepsies are common, with an incidence between 40 and 200 per 100,000 with an overall prevalence between 0.5-1.0% of the general population. When one considers the potential side effects of antiepileptic drugs, research into the effects of chiropractic care for patients with epilepsy should be initiated.”

Conservative treatment of acute and chronic nonspecific low-back pain. Van Tulder MW, Koes BW, Bouter LM Spine 1997;22:2128-2156.

Chiropractic adjustments can potentially provide a solution to suffering families and change the life of a child by working to improve confidence and self-esteem. Chiropractic care isn’t an end-all solution for the treatment of bed wetting, but it can work with the muscles that work to empty the bladder.

In the early stage of our life, segments that make up our sacrum (spine base) are not yet bonded together. While most segments align over time, a misalignment or lack of alignment can impact the nerves that deal with bladder control, resulting in bed-wetting.

Chiropractic adjustments for bed-wetting manipulate even the slightest misalignment’s of the spine to achieve a balance between nerves. Studies show that children who received chiropractic care saw a mind-blowing reduction of their bed-wetting habits by at least 50%.

Chiropractic care for Carpal Tunnel Syndrome can potentially eliminate the need for a surgery or prescription medication. Early diagnosis, which involves an examination by a medical professional through light therapy techniques testing strength and flexibility, is critical to receiving the right type of care plan and resolving symptoms. Frequent chiropractic treatment improves range-of-motion and flexibility, and is a gentle and noninvasive alternative to the the harsh effects and long-term recovery period of surgery

Probably one of the most frustrating situations new parents find themselves in is having to deal with a child that is suffering from colic. For these parents a recent study conducted in South Africa offers some good news. In a study by Mercer and Cook, thirty infants who had been diagnosed medically with colic were randomly divided into two groups. One group received chiropractic care while the other group did not. All infants in this study were newborn to 8 weeks old and had been diagnosed with colic by a pediatrician.

For the purposes of this study, the infants in the chiropractic group received care for a two-week period with a maximum of six adjustments. The results of the study were very impressive. In the group that received chiropractic care, there was complete resolution of symptoms in 93% of the infants within the two-week period. Even more impressive was that in a follow up survey performed one month later, none of the infants had experienced a re-occurrence of problems from colic. The chiropractic care rendered in this study was spinal adjusting

Constipation is a health issue that leads to improper bowel movement. Constipation stools are normally dry, hard, smaller in size, and very difficult to push out. People experience this problem mainly for two reasons – poor diet or lack of physical movement. The best way to get rid of constipation is by making certain lifestyle changes. These may include consuming high-fiber foods, drinking a lot of water and exercising daily. In case, these changes don’t work then patients must get their nervous system tested.

What Is the Relation between Chiropractic Care and Constipation?

Muscles found in the intestine tend to push the human excreta to the anus to send it out of the body. Special nerve cells known as the ganglion cells are responsible for pushing the muscles. These nerves attach to the celiac ganglion that also innervates the liver, stomach, spleen, gallbladder, kidney, and the small intestine. The celiac ganglion consecutively connects to the spine through certain nerve roots that leave the spine in the upper lumbar and lower thoracic area. Pressure on these roots due to vertebral misalignment may obstruct the normal functioning of the bowel and other parts of the digestive system.

Chiropractic adjustments (especially in the lower spinal cord) done chiropractors can help in relieving constipation in some people. In fact, numerous case studies point towards the success of chiropractic adjustments to cure constipation in children, adults and infants. For instance, a study done in 2000 demonstrates how upper cervical adjustments treat constipation in children who had suffered from a broken left clavicle at birth. Basically, by correcting the misaligned vertebrae with the help of chiropractic adjustments, normal bowel movement is likely to return for patients.

If you don’t suffer from menstrual cramps, you almost certainly know someone who does. In many cases, this condition is enough to keep you from functioning properly during your daily routine.

So what can chiropractic offer someone in this situation? Before we answer this question, let’s back up a bit.

The nerves in the low back supply our lower digestive tract, bowels, bladder, the length of our legs and our reproductive organs. For females, these organs include the ovaries, oviducts (tubes), uterus, cervix, vagina, glands and other related structures. All body parts, including these, need a healthy nerve supply from the spine to function properly.

Any interference along the pathway of that nerve can lead to improper function in the body parts listed. Nerve interference in the low back can lead to issues in the digestive or excretory systems, issues along the legs and issues with the reproductive system, including menstrual cramps.

As chiropractors, we’re trained to locate these nerve interference’s and to correct them with chiropractic adjustments. A major effect of these corrections is usually a body that functions properly, along with menstrual cramps that are greatly diminished or gone completely.

So, can chiropractic treat your menstrual cramps? No, but chiropractic can help your body function normally to help you get rid of your menstrual cramps.

A case study published in the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research on June 20, 2013, reports on the results of a case series showing chiropractic helping patients with depression and anxiety. This case series was looking for follow up on previous surveys showing that chiropractic patients felt chiropractic care helped with their mental and emotional states.

The authors begin by reporting that a previous study showed that in a survey of 2818 patients who completed chiropractic care, 76% of those patients reported a mental/emotional improvement, as well as positive changes in stress and life enjoyment over a period of several months following the chiropractic care. Additional prior studies also showed chiropractic care assisting patients with these types of mental health disorders.

This case series study involved six patients who responded to an Internet posting looking for people suffering from mild to moderate depression or anxiety who wished to be a part of a study involving chiropractic. The patients were not under any psychotherapy at the time and were given tests using standard scales of psychological testing to determine and measure their mental state prior to and after the chiropractic care.

All six of the participants also suffered from a variety of problems including musculoskeletal pains, asthma, hypertension, gastrointestinal issues, and sleep disorders. Those who were taking medications made no changes to their medications during the study to rule out any improvement due to medication.

For the purposes of this study, care was limited to only 12 chiropractic visits over a six week period. A specific analysis and form of chiropractic adjusting was used to correct nerve system interference from subluxations. To measure patient progress, a number of protocols were used both to monitor the chiropractic correction of subluxations as well as to see any improvement in depression or anxiety.

The results of the study were recorded for five of the six participants as one participant left the program due to a family emergency. The remaining five participants all showed positive results in most of the areas that the researchers measured. All five also showed positive test results for a decrease in nerve interference from subluxation. All five participants showed a “…significant decrease in depressive symptom ratings.” All five measured a “…significant decrease in anxiety.”

Additionally, four of the five participants who completed the study also reported a self feeling of improvement with their depression, enough to state that they would recommend this type of care to others with depression. Four of the five participants also reported significant improvements in the other health issues and problems they were suffering from at the beginning of the study.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, “The results provide tentative support for the effectiveness of upper cervical (neck) chiropractic care for anxiety and depression symptoms.” They also stated, “The present study found reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms and reduction in overall psychological distress among individuals with mild to severe depression, anxiety or both

According to a recent study, researchers in Japan say there is a possible link between Crohn’s disease and interference to the nervous system from spinal misalignment’s.

The research was published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research and grew out of a previous study involving more than 3,000 patients with allergic diseases and over 1,000 non-allergic patients. It focused on the relationship between immune function, spinal displacements called vertebral subluxations, and how reducing those displacements resulted in improvement, and in some cases complete remission, of symptoms of Crohn’s disease.

Crohn’s disease causes inflammation in the small intestine but it can affect any part of the digestive tract, from the mouth to the anus. The inflammation causes pain and makes the intestines empty frequently, resulting in diarrhea.

There are many theories about what causes Crohn’s disease but none has been proven. The most popular theory is that the body’s immune system reacts to a virus or a bacterium by causing ongoing inflammation in the intestine.

Treatment for Crohn’s disease includes corticosteroids to control inflammation but while these drugs are considered the most effective for active Crohn’s disease, they can cause serious side effects, including greater susceptibility to infection. Immune suppressing drugs are also used to treat Crohn’s disease.

According to Dr. Yasuhiko Takeda, a chiropractor and lead author of the study: “This is why it is so important to develop other means of dealing with this terrible disease. If we can find treatments that enhance the function of the immune and nervous systems perhaps we can help millions of people with this disease without the harmful side effects of drugs.”

Beginning in 1992, the focus of Takeda’s research has been on the relationship between subluxation, allergic disease, asthma, Crohn’s disease, irritable bowel disorder and ulcerative colitis. He became interested in this after observing common patterns of spinal distortions and subluxation in patients presenting with these problems. He observed that many of these people got better following chiropractic care. This convinced him that chiropractic care was the answer to these health problems and that he needed to look into it in more detail.

As Takeda pointed out, “Allergic diseases are a large group of disorders that include: pollinosis, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, hay fever, bronchial asthma, drug allergies, Crohn’s disease and inflammatory bowel disease to name a few. In Japan alone these diseases affect tens of millions of people. It affects their quality of life in terms of physical strength, immune deficiency, and autonomic imbalance. It doesn’t stop there as it affects their social well-being, schoolwork and on the job productivity. You must also consider the terrible side effects of the steroid medications and immunosuppresants that are given to treat these patients.”

While the results are exciting, more research is needed, according to Dr. Matthew McCoy, Editor of the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research. “Clearly the results of Dr. Takeda’s study are something to be excited about and they are not surprising considering other research that shows improved immune and nervous system function following chiropractic care,” stated Dr. McCoy.

Chiropractors correct misalignment’s and related problems of the spine that interfere with how the nerves work. These problems in the spine are called vertebral subluxations and can be corrected by chiropractors with painless adjustments to the affected spinal bones.

Ear infections can be extremely painful and often impact young children. Fortunately, chiropractic treatments can do wonders to improve not only a child’s ear infections, but their overall well being. Costs for chiropractic care are significantly less than those associated with antibiotics or surgeries, which can cost thousands of dollars.

In a recent study, children under the age of five who suffering from ear infections were treated under a chiropractor’s care, 93% of all episodes improved. 43% of the children better within one to two treatments, and 75% were better within 10 days or fewer. We take your child’s care seriously and can offer an individual plan that will lead your child to health. Please consider chiropractic as an alternative method to treat ear infections before turning to harsh alternatives.

In the October 1998 issue of the Ladies Home Journal appeared an article entitled, “Chiropractic Adjustments for Chronic Ear Infections.” This article reviewed several studies showing the effectiveness of chiropractic care for preventing re-occurring ear infections known as Otitis Media or OM.

According to the article, reoccurring ear infections account for over 35% of all pediatrician visits in the United States. Sometimes these infections are due to bacteria and sometimes these are due to a virus. The most common medical care for this situation has been antibiotics, even though antibiotics have no effect on viruses. While the article mentions that the antibiotic may be effective in an acute bacterial infection, they do nothing to stop repeat infections. Research and statistics is now showing that repeated use of antibiotics is contributing to future infections by creating drug-resistant infections. The surgical approach has met with little long term results as the “tubes” placed in children’s ears often come out and usually require a child to be put under

general anesthesia to do the surgery.

The article in the Ladies Home Journal states, “Chiropractic care is thought to prevent recurrent infections by correcting misalignment’s (called subluxations) and allowing normal fluid drainage from the middle ear.” What the article took special note of was that 6 months after the chiropractic care was given to the children in the study, 80 percent had not suffered a recurrence of ear infections.

In closing the article did make a profound statement. They made a recommendation to parents on this subject. “If your child is between ear infections and his doctor suggests ear-tube surgery, ask if you can try chiropractic treatment first.” While we agree with that sentiment, we suggest you not wait for a period between episodes, and you don’t have to “ask” permission from any other doctor to seek chiropractic care. As the sneaker company said, “just do it!”

Patients with chronic Fatigue Syndrome, or CFS, find themselves in a state of perpetual exhaustion that no amount of bed rest can cure. Until recently, the medical community dismissed the disorder because it is not visible on diagnostic tests. However, for sufferers of this debilitating, chronic condition, CFS is very real.

Each patient’s experience with CFS is slightly different, but common symptoms generally include:

Mental and physical exhaustion

Swollen lymph nodes and sore throat

Difficulty thinking and concentrating

Aching joints and muscles

Headache pain

Malaise following any kind of exertion

Some CFS patients report a number of other individualized symptoms including sensitivity to light, muscle weakness and night sweats.

The nervous system is responsible for providing energy by delivering impulses that travel from the brain, down the spinal cord, and which then branch out to all points of the body through a dense network of nerves. The spinal column is designed to protect the spinal cord but sometimes a vertebra can become misaligned and pinch the nerves, blocking their energy impulses. The result is physical and mental fatigue. Chiropractors call these spinal misalignment’s “vertebral subluxations.”

CFS patients often waste valuable time in the medical system. In order for a medical doctor to confirm a diagnosis of chronic fatigue syndrome, the patient has to exhibit symptoms for at least six months. Meanwhile, the disorder can take hold and become entrenched. At that point, medication may be prescribed to mask some of the symptoms, but there is no medical treatment for the underlying cause of CFS.

Fibromyalgia Syndrome – (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)What is FMS according to medical science? FMS is a chronic (i.e. long standing) condition. The patient has muscular pain and tenderness throughout the body and frequently other symptoms like sleep disturbances, fatigue, hearing disturbances, muscle twitches, cold extremities, headaches & migraines, TMJ syndrome and blurred vision. For a diagnosis of fibromyalgia to be concluded, although fibromyalgia can be over diagnosed [1], the patient must exhibit tenderness in a minimum of 11 of 18 pre-defined points on the body (see figures). Have a good look at the location of these points, as I think that along with other evidence they provide a pointer to a possible cause of FMS.

Although the exact cause of FMS has apparently not been discovered and there are various research theories including poor nutrition, stress factors, alterations in the pattern of sleep and changes in neuroendocrine transmitters (serotonin, substance P, growth hormone and cortisol) a common theme which appears to emerge throughout the research is that of poor posture, cervical spine dysfunction and degeneration in the spinal joints.

Hiemeyer et al[2] for example, examined 40 patients with FMS and noted the relationship between posture and tender points. They discuss disappearance of tenderness at a number of the tender point sites following correction of posture and conclude; “flexed posture could be an important factor in generalized muscular pain, and posture therefore should be an essential part of the clinical examination of patients with FMS.”

Muller et al[3] state “In fibromyalgia as well as in low back pain we frequently find disturbances of the posture of vertebral column clinically and radiologically.” Further Buskila et al[4] examined two groups of patients, a control group (59) consisting of patients with leg fractures and a study group (102) with a neck injuries. “FMS was diagnosed in 21.6% of people with neck injuries versus 1.7% of those in the control group” and further “FMS was 13 times more frequent following a neck injury than following a lower extremity injury” and “almost all symptoms were more common and severe in the group with the neck injury”.

Schnur[5] conducted a review of the record of 61 patients with primary fibromaylgia syndrome (PFS) and found “in over 50% of examined patients diagnostic details referred to chronic lumbar and cervical spine syndromes” and chronic lumbar and cervical spine syndromes pre-dispose the person to development of PFS.

Chiropractic is the most effective means of treating a hiatal hernia, a common but often overlooked cause of GERD. A hiatal hernia is when the top of your stomach “pops through” (herniates through) your diaphragm. The diaphragm muscle pinches the top part of your stomach and can cause reflux. A chiropractor trained in reducing hiatal hernias can fix this rapidly and your troubles are over.

The second way chiropractic can help is through adjusting the spine. Research has shown that people with stomach ulcers who receive chiropractic adjustments heal much faster than people who do not. Often people who suffer from GERD and or/stomach ulcers develop pain in the upper back-between the shoulder blades. This is because the nerve supple is the same to both areas. Chiropractic adjustments to the upper back can “reconnect” the nerve supply to the esophagus and stomach.

Acid reflux is caused by failure of the cardia (location where the stomach attaches to the esophagus) to keep the contents of the stomach from flowing back into the esophagus. The naturally powerful acids and enzymes contained within the stomach leak back into the esophagus where they cause irritation, burning and inflammation of the sensitive tissue lining the esophagus.

Chiropractic care focuses on the health and function of the overall body. When the body’s spine and central nervous system are optimized and 100% healthy, all systems within the body perform correctly and without pain. When there are interference’s or misalignment’s (known as subluxations) in the spine, the systems of the body are not able to function at peak levels which can lead to numerous health issues, including digestive problems such as acid reflux or GERD

Migraines and other headaches can strike at any time for individuals who suffer. This large inconvenience can have a negative impact on your career, family life, overall health and your happiness.

Your spine is misaligned! The primary cause of headaches is tension within the neck, which means that part of your spine is out of place, causing an imbalance that’s throwing off your Central Nervous System.

In the September 2001 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physio logical Therapeutics was a report on the effectiveness of chiropractic care, specifically labeled “SMT” in the study, for patients with chronic headaches. The data for this report was gathered from nine trials involving 683 patients with chronic headache.

In this study chiropractic adjustments (termed SMT in the study) were compared to massage and medications for short term relief of up to six weeks after a month of care. The question of long term health benefits was not addressed. Results showed that the chiropractic group did better than the massage group. The group that received medication also showed relief however; the rate of side effects for the medication group was considerably higher than the chiropractic group. This difference gave a decidedly large advantage to chiropractic over the medication.

According to the report, the financial cost of headaches is great, with billions of dollars spent annually for lost productivity and treatment. The study also noted that medical practitioners have commonly treated people affected with headaches. Recently however, they are increasingly turning to non-medical or alternative therapies for relief. A recent study from Harvard University by Dr. Eisenberg reported that one of the most common alternative practitioners sought out for the treatment of headaches was the chiropractor. This study confirms what most chiropractors and their patients have already known, that chiropractic is one of the most effective avenues of health for headache sufferers.

A slipped, or prolapsed, disc is a medical condition affecting the spine that can cause severe lower back pain. The bones that make up the spine – the vertebrae – have cartilage discs between them, connected by a gel-like tissue. A slipped disc is caused when the soft part of the disc bulges through the circle of connective tissue. The disc does not actually slip out of place, but rather it bulges, causing a push on the spinal cord.

A slipped disc can many times be symptom-free. However, when pain does occur, it is due to the pressure placed on the spinal cord or nerve roots. This type of pressure can result in feeling muscle spasm, paralyzed muscles, disturbed feelings in the limbs, and problems controlling the bladder.

A chiropractor will develop a treatment plan that may include spinal manipulation and other chiropractic techniques to ease the slipped disc symptoms. Adjustments to remove subluxation (when one or more of the bones in your spine move out of position) are also proven effective treatments for a slipped disc. The adjustments decompress the vertebrae, allowing the disc the ability to heal itself.

This is the case of a 39-year-old male cable technician who complained of right neck and arm pain. He had a football injury 20 years prior and had some similar, temporary pain at that time. He now had an aching, deep pain running from the base of his neck to the right elbow and sometimes running sharply down his arm. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), thermography and Kronamaz muscle testing apparatus documented a C5-C6 disc herniation. Under chiropractic care the patient became symptom free and a later MRI revealed a reduction in the herniation.

Low force chiropractic care of two patients with sciatic neuropathy and lumbar disc herniation. Richards GL et al. Am J Chiro Med Mar 1990;3(1):25-32.

Two patients with sciatic neuropathy and confirmed disc herniation received chiropractic care. A follow-up CAT scan in the first patient revealed complete absence of disc herniation. A follow up scan in the second case revealed the continued presence of a silent disc bulge at the L3-4 level and partial decrease in a herniation at the L4-5 level. The bulge appeared to have shifted away from the nerve root. Both patients’ pain levels decreased from severe to minimal as they regained the ability to stand, sit and walk for longer periods without discomfort and lifting also became easier. They were able to return to full time work capacity at three and nine months respectively.

Disc regeneration: reversibility is possible in spinal osteoarthritis. Ressel, OJ. ICA Review March April 1989 pp. 39-61.

A Chicago-area study of 50 individuals with a misaligned Atlas vertebra (located high in the neck) and high blood pressure showed that after a one-time specialized chiropractic adjustment, blood pressure decreased significantly. The decrease was equal to taking two blood-pressure drugs at once. The results are published in the online March 2 issue of the Journal of Human Hypertension.

According to lead author George Bakris, MD, director of the hypertension center at the University of Chicago Medical Center, unlike other vertebrae, which interlock one to the next, the Atlas (also known as C-1) relies solely upon soft tissue (muscles and ligaments) to maintain alignment; therefore is uniquely vulnerable to displacement. Displacement of C-1 can occur without pain and thus, often goes undetected and untreated.

One of the most important studies showing the positive effect chiropractic care can have on the immune system and general health was performed by Ronald Pero, Ph.D., chief of cancer prevention research at New York’s Preventive Medicine Institute and professor of medicine at New York University. Dr. Pero measured the immune systems of people under chiropractic care as compared to those in the general population and those with cancer and other serious diseases. In his initial three-year study of 107 individuals who had been under chiropractic care for five years or more, the chiropractic patients were found to have a 200% greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic care, and 400% greater immune competence than people with cancer and other serious diseases. The immune system superiority of those under chiropractic care did not diminish with age.

Chiropractic Adjustments promote a healthy immune system which will increase your bodies defense to things such as colds and flu’s.

Our immune system plays such an enormous and integral role in the overall health of literally every cell and tissue in the body. Not only is it the immune systems job to protect from coughs and colds but also it helps fight against cancer; repair damaged joints and slow down the aging process

There appears to be a definitive agreement among all of the research available on the topic of chiropractic and infertility. Current medical care for infertility is extremely expensive, involves potentially significant negative side effects, and has not been proven to be more successful than chiropractic care for treatment of fertility.

Spinal movement contributes to the proper flow of cerebrospinal fluid. Restrictions of spinal movement alter the flow of CSF and may impact the hypothalamus and/or pituitary gland. These glands are responsible for reproducing hormones such as follicle-stimulating hormone and lutenizing hormone which are vital to reproductive function. The vertebral subluxation of the spine has far reaching affects on numerous glands and organs that directly contribute to a healthy reproductive system.

Increased function of the autonomic nervous system as a result of chiropractic care appears to benefit normalization of the menstrual cycle.

Essential to all processes of life is the nervous system, which perceives the environment and coordinates the cellular community’s biological response to impinging environmental stimuli. It is reasonable to consider that a system that is properly functioning to its potential may resist destructive forces more successfully and with less damage.

Your spine is misaligned! The primary cause of headaches is tension within the neck, which means that part of your spine is out of place, causing an imbalance that’s throwing off your Central Nervous System.

A randomized controlled trial of chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy for migraine. Tuchin PJ, Pollard H, Bonello R. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics Feb. 2000:23(2), PP.91-5.

This was a six month study of 127 migraine sufferers half of whom had diversified chiropractic adjustments. The other half was the control group. Subjects in the manipulation group demonstrated statistically significant improvement in migraine frequency, headache duration, disability and medication use. 22% of those undergoing chiropractic care reported more than 90% reduction in migraines after two months. About 50% reported significant improvement in severity of migraine episodes.

The female sex organs all need a healthy nerve supply from the spinal cord to function properly. Is Chiropractic able to help me with PMS?

Yes! Many women who have suffered from a wide variety of pain, PMS, bladder, bowel cramps; sexual dysfunctions, including infertility, have all discovered the natural benefits of chiropractic. The spine protects the nerve system that controls the reproductive system and endocrine system (hormones), which is vital for optimal function. If there is subluxation (nerve interference) affecting the relationship between the spine and nerve system, this may impact on the function of the organs. Chiropractors remove nerve interference which restores the optimal function to the reproductive system.

Thompson, P.R.,Fisher, B.L., Carpenter, P.A. et al. Effectiveness of spinal manipulative therapy in a treatment of primary dysmenorrheal: A pilot study. JMPT, 1979, 2,pp.140-145

Liebel, N.A. & Butler, L.M. A chiropractic approach to the treatment of dysmenorrheal. JMPT 1990,13 pp. 101-106

Stude, D.E. The management of symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome. JMPT, 1991, 14, pp.209-216

Premenstrual Syndrome and Chiropractic

A positive report was published in the November / December 1999 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics concerning the effects of chiropractic on the symptoms associated with premenstrual syndrome.

The study was completed on 25 women. Estimates of the prevalence of this condition vary depending on criteria. This study estimated that between 10% and 20% of reproductive age women have severe symptoms associated with this condition. The study included chiropractic adjustments for a ten-day period prior to the beginning of the subjects’cycle.

The women were asked to monitor their symptoms and rate them with a score using “0″ = none to “3″ = severe. The results showed a reduction in symptoms from between 42% and 32% for the group that received chiropractic for only a short time. These findings are encouraging the researchers concluded, “results support the hypothesis that the symptoms associated with PMS can be reduced by chiropractic.

The efficacy of chiropractic therapy on premenstrual syndrome: a case series study. Walsh, MJ, Chandaraj S, Pulos BI Chiropractic Journal of Australia 24:122-6.

When a woman’s reproductive system is altered by misalignment of the bones that make up the spine, PMS symptoms can be more severely triggered. Nerves that exit the lower back are responsible for lower abdomen tissue regulation. When these nerves are not working correctly, they impair the nerves that direct and monitor the systems that control bodily functions such as the reproductive and hormonal systems. Alleviating any pressure or irritation to these nerves can be, through alignment of the spine, a great help for women during her monthly cycle. Don’t let symptoms get out of control – let us help you with the proper assessment and treatment!

Cervical mobilization: concurrent effects on pain, sympathetic nervous system activity and motor activity. Sterling M, Jull G, Wright A. Man Ther (Manual Medicine) 2001;6(2):72-81.

In this paper, 30 patients with middle or lower neck (cervical) pain had “spinal manipulative therapy” (SMT) and their pain reduced after care.

Spinal care was found to have a pain fighting effect (“a hypoalgesic effect) as pain thresholds increased. It was also found that the sympathetic nervous system, which affects the functions of the internal organs, was affected: The authors wrote: “The treatment technique also produced a sympathoexcitatory effect with an increase in skin conductance and a decrease in skin temperature.”

Chiropractic treatment of post surgical neck syndrome utilizing mechanical force manually assisted short-lever spinal adjustments. Polkinghorn B and Colloca CJ Manipulative Physiol Ther November/December 2001. Vol 24 No. 9.

This is the case of a 35-year-old female who, after having neck surgery two separate times (a discectomy at C3/4 and a fusion at C5/6) suffered from chronic neck pain for over 5 years.

She had originally undergone the surgeries to resolve neck pain. Her surgeon suggested a third surgery but she decided on chiropractic care. Within 30 days of chiropractic care all her chronic pain and muscle spasm resolved. A follow-up two years later revealed no recurrences of her previous chronic problem.

Chronic spinal pain syndromes: a clinical pilot trial comparing acupuncture, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), and spinal manipulation. Giles LG, Muller R. J Manipulative Physiol Ther July/August 1999:22(6), pp.376-81.

Seventy seven patients were divided into three groups. One group received needle acupuncture, one group an NSAID and one group chiropractic care.

They were followed up after 30 days. Spinal care was the only intervention to achieve a statistically significant improvement. Patients receiving chiropractic care demonstrated a 30.7% reduction in Oswestry scores and a 25% reduction in neck disability index scores, a 50% reduction for low back pain, 46% reduction for upper back pain and 33% reduction for neck pain. Acupuncture and NSAIDS provided no significant improvement.

Pain, tingling and numbness in extremities are symptoms generally associated with pinched nerves. Nerve impingement most often occurs at the spine and travels to the upper and lower extremities of the arms, hands, legs and feet. However, neck and back pain don’t necessarily occur when there is a pinched nerve manifested by pain, tingling or numbness. Possible causes of pinched nerves are when the nerve is sandwiched between two spinal vertebrae, is compressed by a bulging disc or encroached upon by a bony overgrowth.

Chiropractic adjustments can restore spinal discs to alignment, thereby alleviating nerve irritation related to joint dysfunction or bone misalignment. When a chiropractor uses carefully directed and controlled pressure to restore joints to normal position and motion, the nerve is no longer pinched and the pain, tingling and numbness will subside as the body reaches structural alignment. Neck and/or back pain usually get better and the radiating pain, tingling or numbness effects of the pinched nerve will be eradicated

The nerves that extend from your brain and spinal cord are essential for sending critical messages throughout your entire body.

When these nerves are compressed or pressured by the surrounding tissues, the body sends a sharp shooting ‘pinching’ feeling as a warning. This is nothing to ignore! Essentially, this is a warning of a damaged and/or injured nerve. This nerve pressure may come from either the repetition of a certain body motion, or holding the body’s position for a long period of time. Other causes of pinched nerves may be: herniated disks (when a cervical disk slips out of place), degeneration of disk (spine degenerating due to age or other factors), and bony growths (bony growths in your neck due to arthritis or degenerative disk disease).

Chiropractic treatment has been proven to be most effective for pinched nerves, as it concentrates on spinal adjustments and checking specifically for compression or constriction of nerves between vertebrae. Finding and nudging the specific area where the spinal bones are not moving correctly will undoubtedly alleviate pinched nerves. This realignment of your spine will ease the pressure on the vulnerable nerves, allowing relief from pain and helping nerves function more effectively than before.

As a pregnancy develops, stress is increasingly placed on the body, causing incredible discomfort for some women. A woman’s center of gravity immediately begins to shift forward during pregnancy. Although a woman’s posterior section of the pelvis has the capacity and depth enabling her to carry a baby, the displaced weight still increases stress on her joints. As the baby gets bigger, a woman’s weight continues to project forward, curving more her lower back and placing extra stress on the spinal disks.

Towards the end of the pregnancy, the sciatic nerve may be irritated when the baby’s head begins pressing down on a woman’s back, legs, and buttocks.

Before pregnancy, a visit to the chiropractor can detect any imbalances in the pelvis or elsewhere that may contribute to pregnancy discomfort. During pregnancy, chiropractic care can control symptoms of nausea, relieve back, neck or joint pain and even prevent a potential cesarean delivery. Research has also found that chiropractic adjustments can provide relief from low-back pain, muscle tensions, headaches and shoulder problems in pregnant women.

During birth, chiropractors can help assure optimum bio-mechanics in the hips and spine- reducing labor complications. Adjusting your body during pregnancy will avoid unneeded pressure on the abdomen, overall reduction of undue stress to the uterus and to the supporting ligaments. Establishing pelvic balance has been shown to allow the best positioning for the fetus, therefore easing the delivery process.

Even after childbirth, in the weeks following labor and delivery, the ligaments that loosened during pregnancy can begin to tighten up again with the help of chiropractic care.

It is a common observation that birthing seems to be more comfortable for women who were under chiropractic care during pregnancy. The following studies mention how common spinal problems are resolved during pregnancy (up to 90%) and best of all how Chiropractic is safe, effective and most of all a drug free approach which is ideally suited for the health and well being of both mother and child.

The role of chiropractic in pregnancy. Vallone S. Int’l Chiropractic Assn. Review Summer 2002. p 47-51.

“By encouraging regular chiropractic and maternal self care (which includes good nutrition, regular stretching and exercise and stress management) we can improve our patient’s probability of a successful natural delivery.”

Complementary and alternative medicine in pregnancy: a survey of North Carolina certified nurse-midwives. Allaire AD, Moos WK, Wells SR. Obstet Gynecol 2000;95(1):19-23.

In this survey of 82 certified nurse-midwives, 93.9% reported that they recommended patients to alternative health care providers. 57.3% said they referred women to chiropractors.

Follow-up of patients with low back pain during pregnancy. Brynhildsen J, Hansson A, Persson A, Hammar M. In: Obstetrics & Gynecology, Feb 1998; 91(2): 182-6.

Women with severe low back pain during pregnancy have an extremely high risk for experiencing a new episode of more severe low back pain during future pregnancies and when not pregnant.

Sciatica, or sciatic neuritis, is a distracting pain that radiates along the path of the sciatic nerve – beginning in the lower back and extending down one or both legs.

Symptoms of sciatica may include lower back pain, buttock pain, numbness or weakness in various parts of the leg and foot, and a shooting pain making difficult to walk or stand up. The level of pain varies from person to person – from infrequent and irritating to quite severe and debilitating. Simple movements such as coughing or sneezing lead to excruciating pain for some people dealing with sciatica.

Chiropractic adjustments are known to provide ready relief. A visit to the chiropractor can also help assess the nature of sciatica, such as misaligned vertebrae or pelvis, and treat it accordingly – resolving the problem at its root.

Low force chiropractic care of two patients with sciatic neuropathy and lumbar disc herniation. Richards GL et al. Am J Chiro Med Mar 1990;3(1):25-32.

From the abstract:

Two patients with sciatic neuropathy and confirmed disc herniation were treated with low force treatment regimen consisting of Activator instrument adjusting, pelvic blocking, high voltage galvanic current and exercises. Follow-up CAT scans in the first case (revealed) complete absence of disc herniation. The second case follow up scan revealed the continued presence of a silent disc bulge at the L3-4 level and partial decrease in a herniation at the L4-5 level. The bulge appeared to have shifted away from the nerve root. Both patients’ pain levels decreased from severe to minimal. The patients regained the ability to stand, sit and walk for longer periods without discomfort; lifting tasks also became easier. The patients were able to return to full work capacity at three and nine months respectively.

Scoliosis is an abnormal sideways curve of the spine. Everyone’s spine has natural curves; however, those suffering from scoliosis have spines that also curve from side to side, independent from posture. The spine of a person with scoliosis looks more like an “S” or a “C” rather than a straight line. It usually does begin as a postural distortion, but may eventually become a permanent deformity. Allowed to advance, it may interfere with the lungs, heart and many other vital organs.

Usually, scoliosis treatment depends on your age, how much you’re likely to grow, how much curving there is, and whether the curve is temporary or permanent. Significant research suggests that the function and structure of the spine can be manually manipulated by a chiropractic adjustment, thus relieving the discomfort associated with scoliosis.

How Big of a Role Does Stress Play in Your Overall Level of Health?Chiropractic understands that stress, whether it be physical, chemical or emotional in nature. Stress affects the body’s ability to properly function and leads to poor health from the affects of subluxation. More and more research keeps piling up to support this concept, but the short and long-term effects of stress and subluxation are hardly ever addressed by the modern medical system. The medical community is not about to accept the theory that there is one cause for all disease (i.e. stress and subluxation). This is contrary to every major medical premise. Yet this is exactly what happened in 1964 when Hans Selye, M.D. was awarded the Nobel Prize for Medicine!

In the 1950’s, Dr. Selye studied the effect of stress on the human body and presented his work to the world in the concept of the “General Adaptation Syndrome,” for which he won the 1964 Nobel Prize. This was a revolutionary concept of mental and physical illness and it was, at the time, acclaimed as the most important and far-reaching idea in the history of medicine…that STRESS is the cause of all disease.

Among the many treatment alternatives supported by evidence, chiropractic is buoyed by substantial evidence in this report as to its efficacy in the management of both tension-type and cervicogenic headaches:

Compared to amitriptyline use, chiropractic is shown to produce slightly lesser effects during the treatment period, but markedly superior results afterward in the treatment of a tension-type headache.

Compared to various soft tissue procedures, a course of chiropractic treatments is shown to produce sustained improvement in headache frequency and severity in the treatment of cervicogenic headache.

Compared to various soft tissue procedures, there was evidence to indicate that a course of chiropractic treatments produced further improvement in headache frequency and severity in the treatment of an episodic tension-type headache.

The thyroid gland is the spark plug for energy production—it controls the rate of energy production, maintains body temperature, helps regulate children’s growth, and profoundly affects brain chemistry. Thyroid function is intertwined with the immune system, hormone balance, the musco-skeletal system, and brain function. Thyroid disorders are very prevalent in the United States and thyroid hormones have been on the top ten most prescribed lists for decades. Most thyroid conditions are not diagnosed in the early stages and lead to loss of function, resources, and quality of life.

The chiropractic education and training and understanding of physiology makes chiropractors uniquely qualified to manage most cases of low thyroid function. Chiropractors exist in the health care field today as ones who address primary prevention and who determine the underlying causes of chronic health problems. By understanding the mechanisms of physiology, the astute and trained practitioner uses nutrition, lifestyle management, and nutritional compounds to guide dysregulated physiology back into ranges of good health before disease becomes irreversible.

Torticollis develops due to problems with the upper spine and nerves in the neck. There are two different types, acquired or congenital torticollis which results in the neck musculature either shortening or contracting, thus resulting in the head turning to compensate .Spinal adjustments have been demonstrated to be efficacious to the resolution of the congenital torticollis.Chiropractic care is considered essential to the health and maintenance of the child’s spine and nervous system.

A case study of a 7-month-old infant who had been medically diagnosed with the disorder as birth-trauma related. Summary: Six sessions of chiropractic management involving low force adjusting and gentle myofascial release work were administered based on clinical mechanical findings derived from an apparent right hand and right leg dominance of the child. The child had not previously responded to several weeks of physical therapy. Following chiropractic care, the case completely resolved. The response was sustained at 1year follow-up.

Peptic ulcers can be felt 15-30 minutes after eating and may be caused by too little mucus being secreted by the cells of the stomach. Chiropractors relate this problem to a subluxation or nerve pressure in the mid- to upper-neck region. This area is involved with the parasympathetic nervous system. By removing the pressure on the nerves, it will restore mucus production to the cells of the stomach.

Gastric ulcers may subside 20 minutes after eating and may be aggravated by an increase in hydrochloric acid in the stomach. Chiropractors look for nerve pressure in the middle of the back and, if no response is seen, they will look in the upper neck region. Once the pressure is removed and the nerve function is restored the stomach can function normally.

People with vertigo know that the law of gravity prevails, but their brains get confused. They experience an illusion of movement, feeling like they are tilting in space, or that the world is spinning or moving around them. Nausea, sweating, headaches, vomiting and fatigue may add to their discomfort

Vertigo can be caused by many problems, most of which originate in the peripheral or central nervous system. The causes of vertigo that stem from the peripheral nervous system include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), acute vestibular neuronitis, labyrinthitis and Ménière’s disease.

When vertigo or disequilibrium is caused by dysfunction in the cervical spine or labyrinythine apparatus, it is most often treatable in the chiropractic setting. Optimum function of the cervical spine is essential to the recovery from these disorders regardless of the cause.

Long term damage to the spine and head is especially common in auto accidents. Doctors of chiropractic have for years recognized the need for neuro-structural integrity in these areas and that most victims of automobile injuries do not fully recover under medical care; they may continue to have problems for years after the accident. This is especially the case of those who have whiplash and concussion injuries. This of course underscores the need for chiropractic care for accident victims. New medical terms acknowledging the chronicity and incomplete healing of accident victims have recently arisen. The terms used are: Postconcussion Syndrome (PCS), Whiplash Syndrome (WS), Post Whiplash Syndrome (PWS), Mild Traumatic Brain Injuries (MTBI), and mild head injury (MHI).

The chiropractic profession owes a debt to Arthur Croft, DC of San Diego, California who taught of, and researched the need for the caring of patients who had the above conditions years before these conditions were acknowledged in the medical literature.

The detection and management of pediatric whiplash injuries. Ben Eliyahhu, DJ Proceedings of the National Conference on Chiropractic & Pediatrics, Oct. 1993, Palm Springs, CA, November 1993, Palm Beach, Florida.

This paper presents case studies on the detection and management of pediatric whiplash injuries.

Case study one.

A six-year-old female was involved in a rear end collision while sitting in the front seat. She and her mother were taken to the hospital where the mother was examined, x-rayed, collared and released. The child was briefly examined, the mother was told that the child was okay and was discharged. The child complained to the mother of headaches and neck stiffness, was taken to the pediatrician who said the child was fine. The complaints persisted and the mother brought the child to the chiropractor. Infrared thermography scans disclosed abnormalities of the head, neck and upper extremities. Radiographs revealed ligamentous instability, cervical subluxations and myospasm. The mother said that the child began to experience “black-outs” and a neurologist diagnosed Petit Mal seizures. The child improved under medical and chiropractic care and often said that the adjustment gave her the greatest relief and she would often ask her mother to bring her to the chiropractor.