RESEARCH: SUBLUXATION & DISEASE
Full Body Effects of Subluxation
Dysafferentation: a Novel Term to Describe the Neuropathophysiological Effects of Joint Complex Dysfunction. A Look at Likely Mechanisms of Symptom Generation. David R. Seaman, D.C. and James F. Winterstein, D.C., Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Volume 21• Number 4, May, 1998
Findings: Subluxations have the potential to cause systemic autonomic whole body or organ-mimicking symptoms by directly altering or altering the environment of joint nociceptors (pain sensors) and mechanoreceptors (motion sensors). Possibly causing symptoms such as prolonged and referring pain; sweating; pallor; nausea; tachycardia and other cardiac conditions; symptoms of degeneration of the body and organs; anxiety and altered emotions; and weight gain related to increased cortisol levels (to name a few). These symptoms may even continue to exist after the original local pain from the subluxation has subsided.
Dr Jack's Note: Chiropractic Wellness Care (regular spinal manipulation) is essential to a persons total health.
Hypertension & High Blood Pressure
Atlas Vertebra Realignment and Achievement of Arterial Pressure Goal in Hypertensive Patients: A Pilot Study. Bakris G, Dickholtz M, Meyer PM, Kravitz G, Avery E, Miller M, Brown J, Woodfield C, Bell B. Journal of Human Hypertension 2007 (May); 21 (5): 347–352
Background: Anatomical abnormalities of the Atlas vertebra are associated with relative ischemia of the brainstem circulation and increased blood pressure (BP). Manual correction of this mal-alignment has been associated with reduced arterial pressure. It is known that 70% of hypertensive patients require 2 or more antihypertensive drugs to control blood pressure.
Findings: 85% of the treatment group only required 1 chiropractic treatment. The reduction in blood pressure, due to chiropractic treatment, lasted for 8 weeks with no adverse effects recorded.
Conclusions: Restoration of Atlas alignment is associated with marked and sustained reductions in blood pressure similar to the use of two-drug combination therapy. The reduction in blood pressure lasted for 8 weeks and had no side effects.
Effects of Chiropractic Treatment on Blood Pressure and Anxiety: A Randomized, Controlled Trial. Yates RG, Lamping DL, Abram NL, Wright C. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1988 Dec;11(6):484-8.
This study examined the effects of chiropractic adjustments of the thoracic spine (T1-5) on blood pressure and state of anxiety in 21 patients with elevated blood pressure.
Findings: The results indicated that systolic and diastolic blood pressure decreased significantly in the active treatment group (Chiropractic) whereas no significant changes occurred in the placebo and control groups. The stated anxiety decreased significantly in both the active and control groups.
Conclusions: The results supported the hypothesis that blood pressure is reduced following chiropractic treatment.
Infantile Colic
Infantile colic treated by chiropractors: a prospective study of 316 cases. Klougart N, Nilsson N, Jacobsen J. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 1989 Aug; 12(4):281-8
This study examined the effects of spinal manipulation as compared to other treatments in infants with Colic (prolonged crying for no clear reason). The study was carried out as a multicenter study lasting 3 months and involving 73 chiropractors in 50 clinics.
Findings: Spinal manipulation greatly reduced symptoms in 94% of the babies after an average of only 3 treatments over a 2-week period. Medication, changes in diet, and other treatments had failed to reduce symptoms in these newborns.
The short-term effect of spinal manipulation in the treatment of infantile colic: a randomized controlled clinical trial with a blinded observer. J M Wiberg, J Nordsteen, N Nilsson, J Manipulative Physiol Ther. October 1999; Vol. 22, No. 8, pp. 517-522.
This study was a randomized controlled trial comparing spinal manipulation to the medical treatment of dimethicone in the treatment of infantile colic. One group of infants received spinal manipulation for 2 weeks; the other group was treated with the drug dimethicone for 2 weeks.
Findings: By trial days 4 to 7, the hours of crying were reduced by 1 hour in the dimethicone group as compared with 2.4 hours in the manipulation group (P = .04). On days 8 through 11, the crying was reduced by 1 hour for the dimethicone group, whereas crying in the manipulation group was reduced by 2.7 hours (P = .004). From trial day 5 and onward, the manipulation group did significantly better that the dimethicone group.
Conclusion: Spinal manipulation is effective in relieving infantile colic.
Infertility, Asthma & Autism
Positive Findings:
Infertility: There are a number of case studies and numerous anecdotal reports that Chiropractic care helps women with infertility problems. It has been shown that chiropractic treatments have helped infertile women regardless of factors such as their age, health history and other medical intervention for infertility.
Asthma: There are also associated positive clinical findings of chiropractic care helping asthmatics; however, the scientific significances is still lacking.
Autism: In regards to Autism, it has been proven that chiropractic care helps with the associated symptoms of Autism, but there is no scientifically derived evidence that it has a curative affect on the condition. It is worth noting that medical treatments are also not scientifically supported to cure Autism.
Conclusions: There is not enough scientific evidence, due to lack of research on chiropractic treatment of the above diseases, to prove a scientific link. Future studies that may evaluate more formally and on a larger scale, the effectiveness, safety and cost benefits of chiropractic care on infertility, asthma, Autism, well-being and physiological function are need.