Dr Merri's Blog

A study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics in May 2019 reported on the results of a broad study in Canada to see how chiropractic care could affect the usage of opioids in patients suffering from chronic pain. The study titled; "System Dynamics to Investigate Opioid Use and Chiropractic Care for Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain" looked at health care records from 2000 to 2015 to see what effect the usage of chiropractic would have on chronic pain patients who were, or would be using opioids to treat their pain.

This study was put together using a large volume of data from other studies and information from governmental sources. The authors of the study noted that people suffering with musculoskeletal pain, particularly chronic lower back pain, were one of the main groups who would most likely be using opioids for the pain and therefore be most at risk for opioid addiction. The researchers then used currently available data in Canada and the U.S. to forecast what effect an increase in chiropractic would have on opioid usage and addiction.

The study created three categories of population study. The first was people who had chronic pain and were first seeking care from either an MD or a chiropractor. The second group were those under medical care with opioids who then added chiropractic to their care for pain. The third group were those who were already opioid dependent or addicted, and then were adding chiropractic care.

Using data currently available, the researchers were able to project the effect adding chiropractic would have on each of the three groups. The results of this projection would be used to create a model for a large-scale clinical trial which could be used on actual patient populations. Short of actually having such a study, this study gives as close a view of results of chiropractic care affecting opioid usage as is available from current data.

The results of their study showed that in each of the three groups, the introduction of chiropractic for patients with chronic pain had not only a benefit for the patient's pain issues, but also had a statistical positive reduction on the usage and dependency of opioid for those patients.

In the group that sought chiropractic early, the researchers were able to show that there would be a decrease in people ever using opioids and therefore a decrease in both addiction and deaths. In the group that was already using opioids but was not yet dependent, the researchers also showed a decrease usage of the opioids with an accompanied decrease in addictions and deaths. In the group that was already addicted to opioids, there was less of statistical reduction in opioid related problems, but the number was still significant enough to show benefits for those individuals.

Even though the results of this study were projections of possible effects, the data showed that the number of people who would become addicted is reduced when chiropractic care is either introduced early or during patient care for pain. This also would cause a decrease in the related deaths from opioids.

The Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published the results of a case study on October 29, 2018, documenting the resolution of a woman's hot flashes under chiropractic care. Hot flashes are the most common condition of women who are entering menopause.

According to the Mayo Clinic's website, "Hot flashes are sudden feelings of warmth, which are usually most intense over the face, neck and chest. Your skin might redden, as if you're blushing. Hot flashes can also cause sweating, and if you lose too much body heat, you might feel chilled afterward. Although other medical conditions can cause them, hot flashes most commonly are due to menopause — the time when menstrual periods become irregular and eventually stop."

Hot flashes are not a life-threatening condition, but they are an annoyance and can be severe enough to disturb a woman's daily life. The authors explain, "Hot flashes do not typically cause any health concerns, but may interrupt sleep, and can impact the general health and well-being of some women, but the risks are minimal. The most concerning impact of hot flashes is the discomfort they bring to women and the sudden onset at inconvenient times and places. Hot flashes usually cause a heated or warm sensation throughout the core, chest, face, neck, and head along with sweating and possibly chills directly afterwards and can last anywhere from a half minute up to 10 or sometimes 15 minutes."

In this case, a 57-year-old woman presented herself for chiropractic care. Her primary reason for seeking chiropractic was several weeks of right-sided sciatic pain, along with low back pain and pain between her shoulders. Ten years earlier, she had been involved in an automobile accident in which her car was rear-ended resulting in temporary neck pain. In addition to her pain symptoms that brought her to the chiropractor, it was reported that she was also suffering with hot flashes.

A chiropractic examination involving palpation, range of motion, posture analysis and x-rays was performed. From the examination, it was determined that subluxation was present and specific forms of chiropractic care were started.

The results of the study only reported on the first six weeks of her care, which is when a re-evaluation was performed. Results beyond the first six weeks were not included in this study. At the time of her re-evaluation, the woman made three specific comments regarding her progress. She reported that her "leg numbness improved", her "leg muscle spasms improved" and she had "no hot flashes for the last 2 weeks." At that point, she rated herself at about 50% improvement for the symptoms that brought her to the chiropractor.

The authors of the study summed up the case by stating, "This was a case where the patient had been experiencing approximately 10 hot flashes per day while simultaneously suffering from sciatic pain and low back pain. The hot flashes this patient was experiencing completely resolved after four weeks of care and the sciatic pain improved 50% in six weeks."

On July 16, 2018, the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of a case study showing the resolution of hearing loss along with the improvement in school performance in a child who underwent chiropractic care.

According to the study, "Hearing impairment refers to the loss of a person's ability to hear tones at a normal level and this can be a partial or total loss of the ability to perceive acoustic stimulus." The study points out that hearing is typically measured at specific frequencies, commonly 250, 500, 1000, 2000, 4000 and 8000 Hz as these are the frequencies that our ears are especially sensitive to. A loss of hearing is expressed as decibels of hearing loss (dB) when compared to the hearing of the average person.

It is interesting to note that the very first chiropractic adjustment given in Davenport, Iowa, on September 18, 1895, was given to a man who had lost his hearing 17 years earlier. That first adjustment, given by Dr. D.D. Palmer, to a janitor, Harvey Lillard, restored the man's hearing, and thus the profession of chiropractic was born.

In this case, a boy was brought to the chiropractor for a series of visits when the boy was 6-years-old, and again when he was 8-years-old. On each of those occasions, the boy was suffering from moderate hearing loss.

Prior to the child's initial visit to the chiropractor, he had his hearing tested using Pure Tone Audiometry (PTA) to ascertain the level of hearing loss. The results of this test are given in decibels (dB) of pure-tone thresholds (PTTs), which indicate the softest sound the person being tested can hear at least 50% of the time. When first tested, the boy showed between a 30dB and 50dB hearing loss at various frequencies which classified him as a mild to moderate hearing loss. The medical recommendation made for the child was surgery to implant tubes into the ear canals. The parents rejected this recommendation and sought chiropractic care instead.

It was also noted that prior to the discovery of boy's hearing loss, his teacher told his parents that their son was falling behind in class and that his speech was difficult to understand. The boy had been getting speech therapy for over a year with limited results.

Chiropractic care was started on the boy to specifically correct vertebral subluxations that were determined to be present. After 12 weeks of chiropractic care, the boy returned to an ENT specialist to have a follow up assessment of his hearing. On that test, it was determined that his hearing had improved to where the loss was only measured from between 5dB and 20dB leading the ENT to declare that they boy's hearing had returned to normal.

After this episode of chiropractic and hearing recovery, the boy received infrequent chiropractic adjustments over the next two years. At that point, he was tested, and it was noted that there was once again a mild hearing loss. Because of this, more regular chiropractic care was restarted, and the boy's hearing again returned to normal.

In their discussion the study authors note, "The association of chiropractic with hearing started back in 1895 when the first chiropractic adjustment was reported to have cured deafness." They further concluded, "The patient's hearing loss reversal in this study is consistent with the findings of the numerous papers published and the mechanisms discussed. This study demonstrates that chiropractic care may benefit/reverse hearing loss. Specific chiropractic adjustments to the spinal column to correct the vertebral subluxation can have positive effects on auditory processing."

In their November 2018 issue, the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics (JCCP) published a case study and review of literature following the case of a child who was suffering with functional constipation being helped by chiropractic. Functional constipation is when there is no underlying pathological condition causing the constipation.

Approximately 95% of all cases of constipation do not have an organic cause and are therefore considered functional constipation. It is estimated that 3% of children in the western world suffer from functional constipation. Medical care usually consists of lifestyle recommendations concerning food, and the giving of laxative medications.

Studies prior to this one reported that that 36.4% of children with functional constipation were taken by their parents for alternatives therapies such as acupuncture, homeopathy, osteopathic and chiropractic manipulations, as well as spiritual and psychological therapies.

Beyond just the physical problems from constipation, the long-term effect on a young child can be significant. Suffering with constipation for a long period can put a child at risk of missing developmental milestones, as well as suffering emotional and physical disturbances that can have severe consequences later in childhood and into adult life.

In this case, a 21-month-old girl was brought to the chiropractor by her mother. The girl had been suffering with episodes of constipation for the past 15 months. The problem started when the child started to eat solid foods at about the age of 6 months. The girl would only experience a bowel movement every 5 or 6 days. The girl would strain when going to the bathroom and would occasionally cry out in pain when passing a stool. Rarely, due to the hardness of the stool, the child experienced bleeding from her rectum.

The girl's parents tried to help their daughter through natural and healthy foods and increased fluid intake. However, eventually, they took their girl to an pediatrician who prescribed laxatives. The laxatives seemed to give some relief, but the problem would immediately return when her parents attempted to take their daughter off the drugs.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included a visual inspection, both static and motion palpation, and spinal ranges of motion. From the examination, it was determined that multiple levels of subluxations were present. Specific spinal adjustments, appropriate for the girl’s age and size, were started to address the subluxations.

After the girl's first adjustment, it was reported that she started having regular bowel movement either daily, or every other day. The girl’s mother immediately discontinued giving her daughter the laxative medication, as it was no longer needed. After five months of continued wellness chiropractic and without the aid of laxative medication, the girl had not had any issues with constipation.

In reviewing the available scientific literature concerning the medical treatment of functional constipation in pediatric patients, the authors concluded, "The effectiveness of laxatives is not showed in placebo-controlled trials and does not warrant the widely accepted usage. We observe that there are side effects in using laxatives for children." They continued, "Chiropractic experience-based practice showed positive results in functional constipation. Children and infants with constipation as with other conditions should be treated regarding all aspects of their health."

A case study published in the June 27, 2019, issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health documented the improvement through chiropractic care of an infant who was one of a set of twins, and who was suffering from torticollis and breastfeeding problems.

The study begins by reporting that twin pregnancies and births have a much higher incidence of issues as compared to singular births. They report that twins have a 4-fold higher risk of death in pregnancy and a 7-fold higher risk of death shortly after birth. Additionally, twins have a 10-fold higher need for neonatal special care unit admission and have a 6-fold higher risk for cerebral palsy. There is also an increased risk of birth trauma which can lead to several additional problems.

In this case, a 13-days-old male infant who was one of twins was brought to the chiropractor with his twin sister for evaluation and possible care. The parents reported that during the pregnancy the boy was in the head down position for most of his time in utero with the weight of his sister on top of him. The birth was induced at 37 weeks and the boy was born vaginally 4 hours after his sister.

Since his birth, the infant boy had been struggling with breastfeeding due to a failure to latch. His parents reported that he was very gassy and seemed uncomfortable daily. Consultation with a lactation consultant and a pediatrician provided initial help to a degree, but the breastfeeding problem was still constant.

During the chiropractic examination, it was noted that the boy had a significant right head tilt with left rotation. Most of the testing of the infant was within normal, except for the head tilt, a visible cranial asymmetry, and some specific chiropractic testing that indicated spinal issues. Thermography was used to determine heat variations along the spine along with spinal palpation.

From the findings, it was determined that areas of subluxations were present. With the consent of the parents, chiropractic care was started at the rate of 2 visits per week for the first 4 to 6 weeks. Specific infant appropriate forms of chiropractic adjustments were used to address the subluxations that were present.

By the third visit, it was reported that the infant was able to able to latch on both breasts, and his symptoms of gassiness had also decreased. After 6 weeks of care, the parents reported that his head alignment was improved and positioned more in a neutral position, without the torticollis posture that was previously noticeable. A follow-up examination also documented a reduction in the cranial asymmetry that was initially found on the first examination.

In their conclusion the authors of the study wrote, "This case report provides supporting evidence that infants born with muscular torticollis, cranial distortion and difficulty breastfeeding may benefit from chiropractic care."

The Journal of Chiropractic Education published the results of a study on August 1, 2018, that looked at the reasons that people over the age of 65 most sought out chiropractic care. The study was conducted at the New Zealand College of Chiropractic (NZCC) intern training center. The authors of this study begin by defining the aging process. "Aging is a nonreversible fact of life that results in an eventual decline in the total capacity of various organs and systems, decreasing the body’s ability to adapt to the stresses of the environment." They note that the world's population is getting older with 8.5% of the population being older than age 65, which translated out to 617 million senior citizens world-wide. It is expected that by the year 2050, there will be 1.6 billion people over 65 years of age representing 17% of the total world population. An increase in the likelihood of injury as well as additional health challenges for an aging population means a large increase strain on the world-wide healthcare systems. Less expensive alternatives such as chiropractic could represent an area that could help with the issues of an aging population. In this study, files were reviewed for patients at the NZCC intern training center who were over the age of 65 when they first started chiropractic care at that facility. Information from the file must have included the patient's chief complaint for which they started chiropractic care. From a total of 3513 active patients at the clinic at the time of the study, 100 patients (2.8%) met the criteria and were eligible for inclusion into this study. The youngest patient in the study was 65-years-old and the oldest was 88-years-old when they started chiropractic. The average age of patients in the study as 69.5 years. There were slightly more women than men in this study. According to the study, there were eight categories of chief complaints for which these patients sought chiropractic care. The most common reason that seniors looked to chiropractic in this study was lower back pain, with 45% listing this as their chief complaint. Of these patients, 28% sought chiropractic on their own and 17% sought chiropractic based upon a referral. Neck pain was the second most common reason for seniors to seek chiropractic with 21% listing this as their chief complaint. Of these, only 4% did so because of a referral while the rest sought chiropractic on their own. The third most common reason that seniors sought chiropractic care, representing 14% of the study participants, was for wellness care. These patients had no specific chief complaint or symptom that drew them to seek out chiropractic. It can be assumed that these patients were looking for preventative care and the benefits inherent in the drugless approach of chiropractic. Other chief problems that brought seniors to chiropractic in this study included lower extremity pain (5%), upper extremity pain (3%), balance (4%), hip pain (3%), and a variety of other issues such as headaches, groin pain, and visceral conditions each representing 1% of those seeking chiropractic. Portions of the finding in this study were similar to other studies performed in both New Zealand and in the United States and Mexico. The one main differences between the studies conducted in New Zealand, and the ones in the U.S. and Mexico was that the percentage of seniors seeking chiropractic for wellness purposes in New Zealand was much higher than studies conducted in the U.S. or Mexico. With this one difference being noted between this study and those outside New Zealand, the study authors were able to conclude that, "In general, older patient characteristics and their chief complaints at our clinic appear similar to those of other chiropractic colleges studying all age groups."

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study on November 19, 2018, documenting the care of a young man who was suffering with diabetes mellitus and chronic mid back pain being helped by chiropractic.

The study begins by stating that type 1 diabetes mellitus has serious short-term and long- term health implications. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control report that if a 10-year-old child was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in the year 2000, they would probably lose on average between 18.7 and 19.0 life-years.

In explaining the chiropractic approach to health, the authors of the study wrote, "Chiropractic is a health care discipline rooted in the philosophy optimal health and performance is sustained by neurological and spinal health. Conversely, neurological stress and strain contribute to disease and dysfunction and are preceded by abnormal, unhealthy spinal alignment and posture known as vertebral subluxations. Vertebral subluxation involves a biomechanical dysfunction and a neurological compromise."

It is the neurological component of the subluxation that opens the door to studying the effects of chiropractic on a wide variety of health issues such as the one discussed in this study.

In this case study, a 26-year-old man went to the chiropractor with the primary complaint of chronic mid-back pain for the past nine years. Additionally, he had been medically diagnosed with type 1 diabetes mellitus since he was 3 years old. The young man reported that he had managed his blood-glucose with insulin therapy via an insulin pump. He rated his mid back pain as a 7 out of 10 with 10 being the worst.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included using an SF-36 health survey form designed to measure a patient's assessment of their quality of life. In addition, the man was vigilant in continuing to monitor his blood glucose level as he had been for years.

Specific forms of regular chiropractic care were started. The care rendered was not for treatment of his diabetes, but was focused on correction of the subluxations which were determined to be present in his mid-back, known as the thoracic spine. The man was instructed not to change any of his treatments or managements of his diabetes.

After 7 weeks of chiropractic care, the man reported that his mid back pain had reduced significantly. Upon testing, it was also shown that the man had an improved blood glucose average. Since the man monitored his sugar level in real time, he reported that his blood glucose levels were lower on the days that he received chiropractic care.

The man was reassessed 16 months later to see how his progress was maintained. From this assessment, it was shown that his mid back pain had maintained the reduction he had previously experienced. His quality of life assessment had also shown significant improvement. Additionally, it was shown that his blood glucose level had remained lower and he was able to reduce the amount of insulin that he had needed.

In the study's discussion section, the authors noted that chiropractic was the only change made in this man's daily routine. "Certain circumstances and concurrences need to be highlighted within this report. The patient did not alter his lifestyle throughout or following care. It is remarkable that he continued to consume processed foods high in sugar and still yielded the extraordinary health improvements documented. The patient stated that chiropractic care was the only change in his everyday routine. During and following correction of the thoracic spinal alignment, the patient yielded significant improvements in blood glucose levels."

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study on November 12, 2018, documenting the care of a woman with a clinical diagnosis of depression and anxiety being helped by chiropractic.

According to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA), "Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by persistent and excessive worry about a number of different things." This condition is twice as likely to affect women than men and is most common in middle age. It is estimated that this condition may affect up to 18% of the population in the U.S. alone, which represents about 40 million people.

There are several symptoms that have been associated with GAD including a feeling of restlessness or on edge, being easily fatigued, having difficulty concentrating, the feeling of your mind going blank, irritability, muscle tension and sleep disturbances.

Panic attacks are many times associated with GAD and are sudden in onset. To be classified as having a panic attack, a person must be having at least four specific symptoms from a list of 13 symptoms associated with the attack. These symptoms include heart palpitations, sweating, trembling or shaking, shortness of breath, feelings of choking, chest discomfort or pain, nausea, dizziness, or feeling faint, hot flashes or chills, numbness or tingling, and a fear of dying.

Depression is described by this study as, "depressed mood most of the day, diminished interest or pleasure in activities throughout the day, significant weight loss, insomnia or hypersomnia nearly every day, psychomotor agitation or retardation nearly every day, fatigue or loss of energy approximately every day, feelings of worthlessness or excessive guilt every day, diminished ability to think or indecisiveness nearly every day, and recurrent thoughts of death."

In this case, a 30-year-old woman went to a chiropractor seeking help for anxiety, panic attacks, and depression. She had been suffering with these conditions for 8 years and was being treated medically with a variety of medications. She reported that she felt she needed to take her medication "too often lately".

A chiropractic examination was performed which included a postural analysis, thermography, and spinal x-rays. From the examination, it was determined that subluxations were present and specific forms of chiropractic adjustments were started at the rate of four visits per week.

After two weeks of chiropractic care, the woman reported that she had a decrease in frequency of panic attacks, from seven times per week down to less than one per week. She also reported that she was sleeping better and noticed an increase in her energy.

After four months of care, the woman stated that she no longer suffered from depression or anxiety. She stated that she had an increased quality of life due to the ability to be happy as well as her increase in energy. As time and her chiropractic care continued, the patient reported that she was able to get off all her medications for anxiety and depression.

In the conclusion of this study, the authors wrote, "The patient involved in this case study states that she had no anxiety or depression after four months of chiropractic care on subjective patient progression forms. After long term care of two years, the patient ceased all medication for anxiety and depression. The results obtained in this case study shows positive improvement in mental health when chiropractic care was implemented."

On January 14, 2019, the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a case study documenting the resolution of chronic bilateral ear infections in a toddler through chiropractic care. The technical name for ear infections is otitis media.

The study begins by reporting on how common otitis media is. It is estimated that by three years of age, 80% of children will have experienced at least one episode of otitis media. By the age of five years, it is estimated that 40% of children will have had multiple episodes of the condition.

Some of the more common symptoms of otitis media include ear pain, fever, headache, irritability, and listlessness. If left unaddressed, the problem could lead to hearing impairment, a loss of sleep, and a decrease in the overall quality of life not only for the child but also the parents.

Although antibiotic treatment has been a medical main-stay of treatment. Recent concerns for overuse of antibiotics resulting in resistant strain of bacteria have led to more physicians taking a "wait and see" approach to ear infections. All of these factors have driven many parents to seek alternative care approaches for their children, of which chiropractic is the most popular practitioner-based approach.

In this case, a one-year-old girl was brought to the chiropractor by her parents for an evaluation and possible care. The infant's primary problem was she was suffering from reoccurring ear infections. It was reported that over the previous five months, the girl had suffered from 4 bouts of bilateral ear infections. Each time, she had been diagnosed with otitis media and placed on antibiotics. Each time, the ear infection would seem to subside and her symptoms reduce, only to return again a month later after the antibiotic treatment was concluded.

The girl's ear infections were affecting her ability to sleep and causing her to be agitated. In addition to the ear infections, it was noted that the infant girl also suffered from frequent colds, sinus congestion, and food allergies.

A chiropractic examination of the infant led to the conclusion that subluxations were present in the child’s spine, especially in the upper neck area. With agreement from the parents, specific age-appropriate chiropractic adjustments were started to address the infant’s subluxations. The girl received a total of 9 adjustments over the initial 6-week period. After the initial care, the child was seen on a less frequent basis.

After six months of care, a follow-up assessment was performed to monitor the progress. At that time, the parents reported that their baby girl had not had an ear infection or symptoms of an ear infection since she began chiropractic care.

In their discussion and conclusion, the authors of this study stress the importance that chiropractic care could play in this health issue. "Acute OM is such a common condition that it is considered one of the leading causes of visits to medical clinics and for prescription antibiotics. Despite differences in research design and disease definitions, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimated that 28 thousand deaths yearly is attributable to complications (i.e., death through meningitis and brain abscess) of OM." They concluded, "This case report adds to the growing literature on the effectiveness of subluxation-based chiropractic care in children presenting with a history of medically diagnosed OM."

The title above comes from a February 15, 2019, article published by the Australian Spinal Research Foundation. The article compares several research papers showing that chiropractic can improve human performance. The implications of this research for top level athletes are profound.

Athletic performance depends upon the ability to properly coordinate movement, endurance, and strength. These functions are all controlled by the nervous system. The brain generates the intent and sends the signals to the individual muscles to perform the activity intended. It is therefore essential that the signals generated in the brain are transmitted clearly and cleanly to the intended muscles. Only then can those muscles perform the complex and exact movements for athletic performance. If the signals sent from the brain arrive clearly and without any changes, the muscles can perform at their highest abilities. Any interference with nerve signals will decrease the athlete's ability to perform at the highest competitive level.

This article points out that research showing chiropractic having a positive effect on movement has been around for over a decade. The author reports that back in 2006, some preliminary studies were able to quantitatively show that chiropractic "could indeed help lift certain areas of human performance."

Over the years, there has been a volume of reports and case studies of athletes who were either injured or struggling physically, who were returned to peak level performance, thanks to chiropractic care. The article notes that more modern scientific studies on athletes have been able to show that, because of chiropractic, "There was an increase of almost 60% in the electrical activity readings from specifically targeted muscles, a 16% increase in absolute force measures, and a 45% increase in the drive from the brain to their muscle."

As a result of the findings from the studies, the article stated, "it was now clear that chiropractic care changed the structure and function of the brain. It was also clear that it could reduce fatigue and increase drive to the muscles."

The article also noted that "…chiropractic care for the cervical spine could increase maximal bite force." Additionally, they point to studies that show chiropractic can have a much broader effect on human function, "This adds to a growing evidence bank showing many non-musculoskeletal benefits of chiropractic care – from cerebellar function and sensorimotor integration to reduced falls risk and increased ability to perform mental rotation tasks."

At the conclusion of the article, the author sums up his findings by saying, "This is slowly but surely coming together to show us the mechanisms behind why chiropractic works. We have further to go of course, but we can now see that when we adjust, we change the structure and function of the brain. We can increase some brain signals, and allow them to reach their destination sooner. We can remove distortion, which may mean less fatigue and more strength. As our understanding of the vertebral subluxation grows, so too does our knowledge of the flip-side – what happens when we remove it. Those results are proving encouraging indeed."