Allergies

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The Allergy and Asthma Foundation of America claims that over 60 million Americans suffer from these conditions. That is 1 out of every 5 people. It also states that there is no cure for allergies, but rather only preventative measures these people can use. In recent years many studies have proven that principled chiropractic can help prevent and overcome allergies.

In 2009 the local ABC affiliate in Springfield, Missouri, produced a story on a young girl named Jami who had tremendous results with chiropractic. Here severe allergies would cause sinus problems for weeks at a time. She commented, “I get really bad sinus infections…. I just look like I’m bawling all the time.” She tried multiple medications and nothing seemed to help. Jami finally went to a principled chiropractor in the Springfield area where she began regular treatments. She shared her experience by saying, “He adjusted me one time for it. For three days my nose just drained, and then I was fine after that.”

A more recent study was conducted on a group of 57 people who suffered from Crohn’s disease and allergies. The subjects were divided into two groups. One group received chiropractic adjustments, while the control group received none. The group that received chiropractic treatment to remove vertebral subluxation showed long-term stable remission and alleviation of symptoms. These results suggest that chronic nerve irritation has a significant effect on digestion and the absorption of nutrients which can lead to allergies.

So why do some people have allergies to certain things and others do not? The brain and nervous system control and coordinate everything that goes on in the body, including the immune system. When one or more bones in the neck or back move out of alignment and begin to put pressure on the nerve, it can increase the risk of disease and dysfunction. Depending on where these vertebral subluxations are in your body, this may include food sensitivities and allergies.

Asthma

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Approximately 14 Americans die each day from asthma. Asthma is one of only three diseases that has shown an increasing death rate in recent years, up 58% since 1979. According to current estimates, 17 million Americans suffer from the disease, making it the most common and costly illness in the United States. Asthma causes more hospitalizations than any other child hood disease, costing families over $13 billion annually. Although many forms of Asthma can be mild, they should not be taken lightly. Asthma is a warning sign that something is wrong in the body. Chiropractic studies have linked vertebral subluxation and nerve interference with the underlying causes of Asthma.

In one study, 81 children underwent a 60-day principled chiropractic treatment for the removal of vertebral subluxation. At the end of the 60 days, 90.1% of the children showed significant improvement in their symptoms as well as a decreased frequency of asthmatic attacks. This study concluded that vertebral subluxation treatment is a safe non-pharmacological healthcare approach to decreasing asthma-related impairment (more commonly known as asthma attacks). The findings suggest a need for further investigation on the effects of chiropractic care as a management regimen for pediatric asthmatics.

Another study compared 47 people who were medically diagnosed with asthma that underwent a research study through 3 months of regular chiropractic care and all 47 of them showed great improvement. These are just a few of many studies to show very significant results with chiropractic and asthmatic symptoms.

The spinal nerves that come out of the neck and upper thoracic area have major control over the lungs. It is critical that there are no levels of vertebral subluxation in these areas, as sublaxation can interfere with the signals being sent from the brain through the spinal nerves controlling the lungs, which may lead to asthmatic-like conditions.

Back Pain

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Over 31 million Americans experience back pain at any given time, and low back pain is the number-one cause of disability worldwide. The United States alone spends over $50 million a year for back-pain-related issues. In fact, low back pain is the second leading cause of doctor’s visits, behind only upper respiratory problems.

Due to the frequency of low back pain, there have been hundreds of research studies that prove the benefits of chiropractic. For example, one study examined 101 patients with acute low back pain and divided them into three groups. Group 1 receive chiropractic adjustments, Group 2 received pharmaceuticals, and Group 3 was a control group that received no treatment. Almost all of the participants in the control group dropped out of the study because they could not deal with the pain. Both Groups 1 and 2 showed improvement, though Group 1 (the chiropractic group) showed

A new research study actually reveals that back surgery fails in 74% of cases. Researchers reviewed records from 1,450 patients in the Ohio Bureau of Workers’ Compensation database who had diagnoses of disc degeneration, disc herniation, or radiculopathy, a nerve condition that causes tingling and weakness of the limbs. Half of the patients had surgery to fuse two or more vertebrae in hopes of curing low back pain. The other half had no surgery, even though they had comparable diagnoses. After two years, just 26% of those who had surgery had actually returned to work, compared to 67% of patients who didn’t have surgery. In what might be the most troubling finding, researchers determined that there was a 41% increase in the use of painkillers, specifically opiates, in those who had surgery.

Any type of back pain is a warning sign of internal body issues that need to be corrected. Subluxation-based chiropractors focus on getting to the root of the problem so your body can recover, heal, and work the way it was designed to.

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

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There is some compelling evidence that carpal tunnel syndrome may be more common in people who use their hands for strenuous, repetitive tasks (dental hygienists, office or skilled labor jobs, tennis players, golfers, and even knitters) as well as among those making extensive use of vibrating tools. Contrary to popular belief, little evidence suggests that repetitive typing and keyboard use may be a contributing factor. Recent research has actually shown that a certain level of typing may actually be beneficial in preventing carpal tunnel.

Medical management for carpal tunnel usually consists of prescribing NSAIDs. This class of pharmaceuticals has been known to cause stomach bleeding, peptic ulcers, and kidney failure, as well as high blood pressure. If the NSAIDs are not effective, orthopedic surgeons may perform an operation that cuts the transverse carpal ligament in half to alleviate the pressure. This surgery has an alarmingly high failure rate.

A chiropractor knows that if your hands have pain and tingling, the first place to look is your neck, specifically in the mid to lower cervical spine. This is where the nerve roots which make up the brachial plexus originate. The brachial plexus is divided into nerves including the median and ulnar nerve, which travel all the way to the tips of the fingers. Nerve root irritation can occur at numerous places between the vertebra of the neck and the wrist, which can lead to many secondary complications. When a chiropractor adjusts the neck and removes the irritation at the nerve roots, the secondary or downstream symptoms may simply resolve. This is not only a more conservative approach, but also has a higher success rate than surgery for carpal tunnel.

Colic

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5-25% of infants suffer from colic, and an infant with colic can be a nightmare for new parents. Long nights of crying due to gastrointestinal pain and numerous other factors can make the parent’s job both physically and emotionally harder than it needs to be.

The National Health Service in Ballerup (Copenhagen, Denmark) conducted a study involving 50 infants diagnosed with colic. Half of the group received specific chiropractic adjustments, and the other half received the drug dimethicon. In this study, 9 of the 25 infants taking the drug were removed from the study because their symptoms were getting worse.

Even with the removal 9 infants from the group that received drugs for colic, the results showed a more significant improvement in the group that were under chiropractic care. Between the fourth and seventh days of the study, the infants remaining in the drug group had reduced their hours of crying by only one hour, while the entire chiropractic group had reduced crying hours by an average of 2.4 hours. After 8 to 10 days, the infants who were prescribed drug treatments plateaued at a one-hour reduction in crying, while the chiropractic group further improved to an average of 2.7 fewer hours of crying. The researchers noted that, had the 9 infants not been pulled from the drug group, the disparity between chiropractic treatment and drug treatment would have been even greater.

Research study after research study continually demonstrate the greater efficacy of chiropractic care in alleviating colic in infants when compared to other medical treatments. Not only do chiropractic adjustments help alleviate colic symptoms, but they also contribute to infants’ overall health and immune system by boosting their white blood cell count.

Digestive Problems

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According to a new survey, 74% of Americans live with chronic digestive symptoms including diarrhea, gas, bloating, and abdominal pain. What many people may not know is that these symptoms could indicate a more serious condition related to the nerves.

The central nervous system controls all the organs in the body, including the stomach, intestines, gallbladder, and other abdominal functions. If an abdominal organ is in trouble, it may send excessive signals back to the brain. This can cause a sensation of discomfort in either the area near the organ or in one of the pain referral areas associated with that organ. A well-known organ that refers pain is gallbladder, and the gallbladder can refer pain to the back and shoulder area when it becomes symptomatic.

According to a recent study by Dr. [name?] Takeda, there is a possible link between misalignments in the spine causing nerve interference (vertebral subluxations) and Crohn’s disease. This research, published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, emerged from a previous study involving more than 3,000 patients diagnosed with allergies 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. This is just one of many research studies demonstrating the power of specific chiropractic adjustments and the digestive system.

Also worth noting is that one of the areas chiropractic helps with the most is stress. Many people notice that when they are in periods of stress, their appetites and digestive patterns change. In a sense, the gut – with its extensive neural network – has a mind of its own, though it is still dependent on the brain. Chiropractic adjustments reduce stress on a cellular (including neurological) level, which in turn alleviate digestive issues.

Headaches

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Everyone has headaches at some point in life, and they manifest in four different types: tension, cluster, migraine and trigger point headaches. Each type can present in different ways. Some can be mild, while others are severe enough to cause nausea and vomiting. Because they have become so common, many people consider headaches a normal part of life, but at no point in life are headaches normal. A headache is a warning sign that something in your body has gone awry.

Research study after research study, new findings continue to demonstrate that chiropractic adjustments are among the most effective headache treatments. This is no surprise to chiropractors, as a majority of headaches originate in the neck region, which a majority of chiropractors specialize in. A report released in 2001 by researchers at the Duke University Evidence-Based Practice Center in Durham, NC, found that “spinal manipulation resulted in almost immediate improvement for those headaches that originate in the neck, and had significantly fewer side effects and longer-lasting relief of tension-type headache than commonly prescribed medications.” These findings support an earlier study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics that found spinal manipulative therapy to be effective for treating tension headaches. This study also found that those who stopped chiropractic treatment after four weeks continued to experience a sustained benefit in contrast to those patients who received pain medication.

The following suggestions can significantly reduce or even prevent headaches:

  • If you spend a large amount of time in one fixed position, such as in front of a computer, at a sewing machine, typing, or even reading, take a break and stretch every 30 to 60 minutes. The stretches should take your head and neck through a comfortable range of motion.
  • Low-impact exercise may help relieve the pain associated with primary headaches. However, if you are prone to dull, throbbing headaches, avoid heavy exercise. Engage in such activities as walking and low-impact aerobics.
  • Avoid teeth clenching. The upper teeth should never touch the lowers, except when swallowing. This results in stress at the temporomandibular joints (TMJ) – the two joints that connect your jaw to your skull – leading to TMJ irritation and a form of tension headaches.
  • Drink half your body weight in ounces of water a day to help avoid dehydration, which can lead to headaches.
  • Schedule regular chiropractic adjustments to keep the stress off you neck.

HIV/AIDS

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Immune function is one of the most exciting areas of study in chiropractic, as new research provides evidence of improved immunocompetence from spinal adjustments. These studies increasingly reveal the health benefits of addressing misalignments in the spine that cause nerve interference.

were either HIV-positive or had full-blown AIDS and were receiving medical treatment. In addition, five patients started chiropractic care. After 6 months, those not under chiropractic care suffered a decline of 7.96% in CD4 levels (and two deaths) while the group receiving chiropractic adjustments experienced a 48% increase in CD4 cell counts.

This indicates that correction of upper cervical subluxation could improve immunocompetence. The study was originally intended to go on for one year, but after two patients in the control group died of AIDS, Dr. Grostic decided to end the study and put the surviving controls under chiropractic care.

In clinical trials monitored by the Rand Corporation and conducted at Life University, chiropractic showed great potential to boost immune function. Several other preliminary studies have also shown immune system boosting. In 1991 Patricia Brennan, PhD, conducted a study that demonstrated an increased immune function following a thoracic (mid back) adjustment. Dr. Pero stated in his research that “Chiropractic patients in the study had 200 percent greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic, and 400 percent greater immune competence than people with cancer or other serious disease.”

The article also notes that chiropractic can also help with secondary symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS. Secondary symptoms are usually the main reason HIV/AIDS patients seek chiropractic in the first place. According to the article, Craig Martin, DC, notes that eighty percent of HIV/AIDS patients report some degree of neuropathy, which includes symptoms such as numbness, tingling and/or burning. With chiropractic care these patients reported a significant decrease in symptoms. Patrece Frisbee, DC, of Stratogen Health of Miami Beach, a multidisciplinary clinic, reports 80% of her patients are HIV positive, “and they need extensive chiropractic care because of the wide array of side effects that accompany the powerful prescribed medications.”

The article closes with a powerful chiropractic endorsement, concluding, “Chiropractic is an alternative that will work with HIV/AIDS patients. It has broadened the view of chiropractic as a mind/body therapy. Its role in healthcare is increasing every day. If you aren’t under chiropractic, then you are not allowing your body to perform at 100 percent.”

Immune System

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Your immune system plays a critical role in keeping you alive. You start developing natural immunity while you are still in your mother’s womb and keep developing it throughout life. Chiropractic is one of the best tools for maximizing your immune system. Many research studies have determined that children with regular chiropractic treatment have fewer doctor’s visits and rarely have to take antibiotics.

In clinical trials monitored by the Rand Corporation and conducted at Life University, chiropractic showed great potential to boost immune function. Several other preliminary studies have also shown immune system boosting. In 1991 Patricia Brennan, PhD, conducted a study that demonstrated an increased immune function following a thoracic (mid back) adjustment. Dr. Pero stated in his research that “Chiropractic patients in the study had 200 percent greater immune competence than people who had not received chiropractic, and 400 percent greater immune competence than people with cancer or other serious disease.”

The article also notes that chiropractic can also help with secondary symptoms associated with HIV/AIDS. Secondary symptoms are usually the main reason HIV/AIDS patients seek chiropractic in the first place. According to the article, Craig Martin, DC, notes that eighty percent of HIV/AIDS patients report some degree of neuropathy, which includes symptoms such as numbness, tingling and/or burning, With chiropractic care these patients reported a significant decrease in symptoms. Patrece Frisbee, DC, of Stratogen Health of Miami Beach, a multidisciplinary clinic, reports 80% of her patients are HIV positive, “and they need extensive chiropractic care because of the wide array of side effects that accompany the powerful prescribed medications.”

The article closes with a powerful chiropractic endorsement, concluding, “Chiropractic is an alternative that will work with HIV/AIDS patients. It has broadened the view of chiropractic as a mind/body therapy. Its role in healthcare is increasing every day. If you aren’t under chiropractic, then you are not allowing your body to perform at 100 percent.”

In another research study, blood was taken from each of the participants 15 minutes before and 15 minutes after the adjustment. The results were compared to 15 other participants who received a placebo adjustment. The immune response from subjects who received the real adjustment was significantly higher than before treatment, and significantly higher than the response from the placebo subjects.

Menstrual Health

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Many women who have suffered from a wide variety of pain, pre-menstrual syndrome (PMS), bladder problems, bowel cramps, and sexual dysfunctions have discovered the natural benefits of chiropractic. The spine protects the nerve bundle that controls the reproductive and endocrine (hormonal) systems. If there is subluxation (nerve interference) affecting the relationship between the spine and nerve bundle, this may impact the function of the organs. Chiropractors remove nerve interference which restores the optimal function to the reproductive system.

A 27-year-old female sought chiropactic care to improve her overall health, in the hope that she may ultimately be able to have a child. In the previous year she had suffered two miscarriages, and had not ovulated for nine months. She was under medical treatment for infertility and ulcerative colitis, and followed a restrictive diet. Prior to attempting to become pregnant, she had been using birth control pills for 7 years. Examination protocols of Torque Release Technique (TRT) were utilized to detect vertebral subluxations. Adjustments were applied with the Integrator instrument; the initial visit schedule was twice weekly for 30 days, and then one visit per week for an additional 30 days. After 60 days of care, a normal ovulatory cycle occurred, and she became pregnant after her second normal cycle.

One study compared 25 women who suffered from PMS. This study estimated that between 10 and 20% of reproductive-aged women have severe symptoms associated with this condition. The study included chiropractic adjustments for a ten-day period prior to the beginning of each patient’s cycle. The women were asked to monitor their symptoms and rate the severity on a scale of 0 (none) to 3 (severe). The results showed a reduction in symptoms ranging between 42% and 32% for the group that received chiropractic for only a short time. These findings encourage the researchers, who conclude, “results support the hypothesis that the symptoms associated with PMS can be reduced by chiropractic.