Dr Merri's Blog

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a case study on November 2, 2017, documenting the improvement of a woman's pregnancy as well as her unborn child's growth. The growth of a fetus is determined by genetic factors and the mother's ability to supply quality nutrients to her unborn baby.

When a fetus does not achieve the expected growth rate during pregnancy, the condition is called Fetal Growth Restriction (FGR). The study reports that FGR is fairly common, occurring in about 1 in 300 pregnancies. The condition is usually detected by routine ultrasound.

According to WebMD, the delayed growth of a fetus puts the unborn at risk for a number of conditions including low birth weight, difficulty handling the stresses of vaginal delivery, decreased oxygen levels, hypoglycemia (low blood sugar), low resistance to infection, low Apgar scores, breathing problems, trouble maintaining body temperature, abnormally high red blood cell count, and long-term growth problems.

According to the study authors, the most common cause for FGR is placental insufficiency. This is an inadequate supply of nutrients and oxygen from the mother to the fetus to sustain normal fetal growth. A study published in the American Famiily Physician reported that FGR is the second leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality, followed only by prematurity.

In this study, a 29-year-old woman who was 32 weeks pregnant went to the chiropractor because she was concerned about her unborn baby's growth rate after being diagnosed with placental insufficiency. An ultrasound confirmed a slowed growth rate from 28 weeks to 30 weeks and a reduction in the unborn baby's head circumference from weeks 30 to 32. The obstetrician was so concerned that he had suggested an emergency caesarean section be performed if the fetus' growth rate did not improve by week 32 of pregnancy.

A chiropractic examination was performed. From this examination, it was determined that multiple vertebral subluxations were present. Specific chiropractic adjusting techniques were applied to address the woman's subluxations.

The study reports that one day after the initial chiropractic adjustment, the patient returned to the hospital for a scheduled Doppler ultrasound. The results of that ultrasound showed that the placental resistance had returned to normal limits. Measurements taken during additional ultrasounds in weeks 32 to 36 of the woman's pregnancy indicated an increase and normalization in fetal growth. The woman was able to continue her pregnancy through to 37 weeks, giving her fetus 3 to 4 more weeks in utero, after which she elected to give birth via cesarean section.

In the study discussion, the authors wrote, "This case describes the normalization of FGR concomitant with chiropractic care for the management of vertebral subluxation." They continued, "Chiropractic care aims to optimize health and well-being through the enhancement of the nervous system function by removing nerve interference caused by vertebral subluxations."

The Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published a case study on July 3, 2017, documenting the return of the sense of smell in a patient from chiropractic care. The loss of smell, medically called anosmia, was due to a primary central nervous system tumor.

The study author begins by explaining that central nervous system (CNS) tumors are space-occupying lesions that manifest as neoplasms (abnormal growths) of neuroepithelial tissue (stem cells of the nervous system). The incidence of CNS tumors is 20.59 cases per 100,000 people. These are the second most common form of childhood malignancy.

In this case, a 25-year-old man suffering from neck pain went to the chiropractor. His neck pain had started seven years earlier, but he did not recall an incident or injury that caused his problem. He reported that there was no activity or position that made his problem better, but that standing for long periods made him worse. Additionally, he reported tingling and weakness radiating into his right arm. He also was suffering with lower back pain, headaches, and dizziness.

An examination was performed. His vital signs were normal. It was noted that he was unable to detect certain types of smells or identify between them. A postural analysis showed uneven shoulders and hips. His neck range of motion was reduced in all directions. Additionally, palpation of the spine found multiple misalignments. A thermography study performed showed areas of uneven heat. Spinal x-rays of the man’s neck showed degeneration between the fifth and sixth cervical vertebrae.

An MRI of the patient’s neck showed a large tumor in the neck from the second to the seventh bone. His medical physician stated that he was probably born with it, and it should be monitored with future MRI scans.

A chiropractic determination was made that subluxation was present and could be addressed at the top of the spine, known as the atlas. Specific adjustments were applied to this bone as indicated by analysis.

A reassessment was performed five months into care. At that time, almost all testing had returned to normal or had greatly improved. The man reported that his neck pain, low back pain, headaches, and dizziness were all gone, and had been resolved since four months and seven days into his care. Additionally, the man was tested to see if there was any change in his sense of smell. The test showed that he had regained his ability to smell items normally, and to differentiate between them.

In his conclusion, the author noted that due to the rarity of this type of condition and the lack of larger studies, it is not possible to draw generalized conclusions about chiropractic and these conditions. "The patient’s perceived pain decreased as well as objective analysis of the symptoms secondary to the congenital tumor." The author continued, "There is little to no research on chiropractic and its use for symptoms secondary to congenital tumors. This patient showed improvement but since this is a case study it is unknown whether these results could be reproduced."

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a case study on September 11, 2017, documenting the care of a young girl suffering from asthma, who was helped by chiropractic. This case report was written in the earlier stages of care in order to document initial responses to care. The study does not include a report on the long-term benefits of chiropractic for these types of cases.

This study begins with a brief definition. "Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disorder of the respiratory airways." The result is an increase in mucus production along with an over-responsive airway leading to reduced airflow. This produces the noticeable wheezing, coughing, and shortness of breath.

The number of sufferers with asthma has continued to increase over the years. In 2001, about 7.3% of the population suffered with this condition. By 2011, that number had jumped to 8.4% of the population suffering with asthma. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that in 2015 there were almost 24.6 million people suffering with asthma. Of this, approximately 6.2 million are children below the age of 18, with 18.4 million being adults over 18. In 2015, 11.5 million people suffered an asthma attack.

In this case, a 6-year-old African-American boy was brought to the chiropractor by his mother for a chiropractic consultation and possible care. His mother reported that her son had allergies since birth and was diagnosed with asthma at the age of 2. She reported that his asthma was noticeably worse in the winter months. Certain foods seem to trigger his asthma, so his mother removed both dairy and glutens from his diet. At the time of his initial chiropractic consultation, the boy was on five different medications as well as a respiratory inhaler.

During pregnancy, his mother suffered from gestational diabetes and had to take insulin three times per day. His delivery was via cesarean with no reported complications. His mother breast fed her son until the age of two, and he never drank cow's milk. As an infant, the boy suffered from eczema and was prescribed steroids. The boy would need his inhaler twice per day and would wake from sleep abut 4-5 nights per week.

A chiropractic examination showed a forward head posture, meaning that his head was further forward of his body than is normal. Palpation of his spine revealed a number of areas determined to be subluxations in his spine. Specific chiropractic care was started at the rate of three visits per week.

On the second adjustment visit, the boy's mother reported improvements in her son's breathing with no sleep disturbances in the previous two nights. The study recorded that after three weeks of chiropractic care, the patient did not require his asthma medications at night and only used his inhaler one time while he was running and playing.

At the time of the writing of this study, the boy was still under chiropractic care. However, even at this early stage of care, the boy’s mother was able to report that her son only needed one breathing treatment since beginning chiropractic instead of usually needing several during the winter. As of the writing of the study, the boy's medications had been reduced, he was rarely using an inhaler (only as needed), and was able to play in the park for three hours without use of his inhaler.

In their conclusion, the authors acknowledged the results of this study and called for additional research, "This case report illustrates the reduction of asthma symptoms and medication use in a pediatric patient under chiropractic care. It is recommended that the link between subluxation and visceral dysfunction, such as asthma be investigated further."

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study on April 24, 2017, documenting the improvement from chiropractic of a woman suffering from pain in a variety of places who had been diagnosed with Polymyalgia Rheumatica.

According to the Mayo Clinic website,  Polymyalgia Rheumatica is an inflammatory disorder that causes muscle pain and stiffness, especially in the shoulders. Symptoms of Polymyalgia Rheumatica usually begin quickly and are worse in the morning. Most people who develop Polymyalgia Rheumatica are older than 65. 

In this case, a 64-year-old woman sought chiropractic care for multiple pain complaints. Her pain included low back pain, bilateral shoulder pain, right elbow pain, right knee pain, neck pain, numbness of the left hand and left and right thumb pain. The lower back pain started over 40 years ago after a car accident. The woman described the pain as a constant sharp and dull pain, rating it as a 9 out of 10. The pain was worse at the end of the day and would last 2-3 weeks at a time.

Her right knee pain had been off and on for 20 years. She blamed the knee pain on the hip dysfunction she had before she had bilateral hip replacements. The pain, which she rated as a 10 out of 10, was worse in the evenings as well as with certain activities. The woman's bilateral thumb pain started 15 years ago. She did not recall any particular reason for it starting. Initially, she rated the pain as 10 out of 10, that was made worse by exercising and writing. She had been medically diagnosed with osteoarthritis and Polymyalgia Rheumatica.

The woman did try to lead a healthy lifestyle as her diet consisted of 4-5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily, lean meat such as chicken, some white pork, some beef, tofu, turkey, and fish. Additionally, she claimed to drink about 6 to 8 glasses of water per day. She avoided things such as caffeinated beverages, tobacco, alcohol or recreational drugs. She slept about 7 hours per night and rated her sleep as good. She was taking a number of prescriptions for her problems as well as dietary supplements she felt were helpful.

A chiropractic examination was performed. She demonstrated difficulty in walking, with her gait being more of a shuffle. She needed assistance to sit or stand. She also experienced difficulty standing by herself or lying down. Her posture showed multiple abnormalities and her mobility was significantly restricted. X-rays of her spine showed multiple areas of calcification, degeneration, and subluxations.

With the determination of the presence of subluxations, specific chiropractic adjustments were started. After only the second visit to the chiropractor, it was noted that the patient was able to get up and down with less difficulty. By the third visit, the patient reported that she was able to do some cooking on her own without difficulty. As care progressed, she continued to show improvement, and by the sixth visit, she was able to clean her house by herself with little problem. By the ninth visit, the woman stated that she felt  more like her old self , and was able to get around by herself without difficulty. By the eleventh chiropractic visit, she reported that she was able to start sewing again. As the woman continued with her chiropractic care, she progressed even further. She reported being able to engage in such activities as water aerobics and work-outs.

In their discussion, the authors noted that the woman was not only receiving chiropractic care. They commented,  Over the course of the six months of combined Chiropractic care, functional rehabilitation, and co-management with a Rheumatologist, this patient has gained more mobility, more range of motion, increased degree of ambulation, decreased level of pain, and ability to do her regular activities. 

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study on December 18, 2017, documenting the case of a patent with systemic lupus erythematosus being resolved following chiropractic. . The term Lupus is commonly used to mean SLE. However, Lupus actually represents a number of autoimmune diseases. SLE is the most common of the Lupus autoimmune conditions.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine’s Medline website, "Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease. In this disease, the body's immune system mistakenly attacks healthy tissue. It can affect the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs." SLE can occur at any age and is more common in woman than in men. It most commonly appears between the ages of 15 and 44, and is more common in African Americans and Asians than other races.

In most people, the immune system identifies and fights off dangerous pathogens and infections to help the body stay healthy. An autoimmune disease is when the body gets confused and attacks normal healthy cells such as the skin, joints, kidneys, brain, and other organs.

In this case, a 34-year-old woman came to the chiropractor in hopes of getting help from a large variety of health issues. The woman was primarily suffering from constant chronic pain, constant fibromyalgia related symptoms, constant fatigue/anxiety/depression related symptoms, constant Lupus related symptoms, and constant hypothyroid related symptoms.

Additionally, the woman also suffered from stiffness in the neck, menstrual disorders, stomach disorders, mid back pain, irritable bowel, numbness in her feet, low back pain, leg pains, chronic fatigue, Lupus, fibromyalgia, ADD/ADHD, anxiety, nervousness, and nausea. Most of her health issues had been causing problems for over a year, with several conditions being over five years in duration.

The woman had been to a number of medical doctors who diagnosed her with a variety of health issues including systemic lupus erythematosus, fibromyalgia, hypothyroid, nephrolithiasis, and vitamin D deficiency. With these diagnoses, she was given a number of prescriptions including Prednisone, Plaquenil, baby aspirin, Hydrochlorothiazide, Wellbutrin, Xanax, and Hydrocodone.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included palpation, paraspinal thermograohy, and both static and motion x-rays of her spine. The results of the chiropractic examination indicated the presence of several subluxations. With this, specific forms of chiropractic adjustments were performed.

The results reported in the study showed that the woman’s lower back pain started to improve early in care. Her leg pain completely resolved, as was the numbness in her feet. The woman also reported that her hypothyroid related symptoms were much improved, her menstrual disorder was completely resolved, and her stomach disorder was much improved.

As care continued, the woman noted that her irritable bowel syndrome symptoms were much improved, her systemic lupus erythematosus related symptoms were much improved, and her ADD/ADHD related symptoms were much improved. Her improvement was such that she was able to come off seven of her medications. Her follow-up thermography and motions x-ray examination confirmed spinal improvements due to the chiropractic care.

On June 29, 2017, the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a case study documenting the resolution of otitis media with neck curve improvement with chiropractic care. Otitis media, more commonly known as an ear infection, can come from either bacteria or virus, and is most commonly associated with a cold or allergies.

The authors of this study begin with an ominous warning by noting, "If left untreated, otitis media can cause temporary or permanent loss of hearing which can in turn impair speech, language development, and create learning difficulties." They note that two out of three children experience at least one episode of otitis media before the age of three and it is also the most common diagnosis for children under 15 years of age.

The most common medical treatment for otitis media is antibiotics. Although this approach can kill bacterial infections, this does nothing for viruses and in many cases the ear infections returns again. The most common surgical approach is putting tubes in the ears. Tympanostomy (known as tubes in the ears) accounts for 20% of surgeries on children under 15 years of age. Again, the rate of return infection is very high making the procedure less effective in the long term.

In this case, a 10-year-old boy suffering from fluid in his right and left ears for the past three weeks was brought to the chiropractor. The boy also suffered from allergies and difficulty sleeping. The boy's medical physician recommended allergy medications which had no effect on the fluid in his ears.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included palpation, infrared thermography, and static spinal x-rays. Additionally, videofluoroscopy (motion x-rays) of the spine were done to access the individual movements of the bones in the boy's neck.

The conclusion of the examination process was the presence of vertebral subluxations with a loss of the normal forward cervical (neck) curve. With these findings, specific chiropractic adjusting procedures were started.

The results showed that the boy's ears drained the first two days after his first chiropractic adjustment. When he returned for his second visit to the chiropractor, he reported a 100% improvement in his ears. On a subsequent follow-up x-ray of the boy's neck, it was noted that his neck curvature had significantly improved.

In the conclusion the authors summed up this case by saying, "In this study, the patient entered the clinic with OM (otitis media) painful enough to alter his sleep. In addition to dysfunction in the patient's ear, he also presented with a loss of cervical curve. This case demonstrates how specific chiropractic care to remove subluxations resulted in resolution of otitis media and restored the cervical curve."

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a case study on March 9, 2017, describing a patient who was having severe pain with no medical reason being found. The patient was referred to a psychiatrist but instead went to a chiropractor where she found relief.

The study begins by pointing out that throughout the history of chiropractic, many patients who found help under chiropractic were prior medical failures. The authors stated, "In more than a century of the chiropractic profession, anecdotes and testimonials are replete with describing the success of chiropractic care in patients with a history of non-responsiveness to medical care."

In many cases where no medical reason for pain can be found, the patient is often sent for psychiatric evaluation and told they have conditions such as conversion disorder or hysteria, or simply told that their problem is "all in your head." The patient in this case study fits this category.

In this case, a 16-year-old girl went to the chiropractor with her parents consent. Two days earlier, she had suffered an injury while throwing a discus. She reported that she heard and felt a "rip" upon release of the discus. She immediately felt a severe stabbing burning pain across her shoulders and lower neck. She rated the pain as a 10 out of 10 using a scale of 0 to 10 with 10 being the worst pain. Within 40 minutes, she reported that her left arm went numb and weak.

No chiropractic care was rendered at the time of her first visit and the girl went to an orthopedic specialist for further evaluation. She remained in a hospital for 8 days during which time an orthopedic evaluation was performed. This included an MRI which showed no findings. Because the the orthopedic tests did not find a reason for her pain, and because she had a past history of depression, the girl was discharged from the hospital and referred to a psychiatrist for evaluation. After 11 additional days, she returned to the chiropractor and chiropractic care was started.

Following her first chiropractic adjustment, the girl reported a 50% increased muscle strength within 1 hour of her visit. By her 4th visit, she reported that she had regained normal use of her left arm. However, she continued to experience neck pain and stiffness. By the sixth visit, her pain was gone and her full range of motion had returned.

Approximately 5 months later, the girl reported another injury after being hit on the head with a basketball. From this injury, she started to experience some of her initial symptoms, but not as severe. After one adjustment, the girl reported a complete recovery from her symptoms.

In their conclusion, the authors summed up this case by saying, "This case report described the successful chiropractic care of a teenager with vertebral subluxations and signs and symptoms not congruent with objective outcome measures. Such patients may benefit from chiropractic care despite the lack of positive medical testing to inform medical care."

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a case study on May 25, 2017, documenting the improvement in scoliosis in a young boy due to receiving chiropractic care. The Mayo Clinic website defines this condition by saying, "Scoliosis is a sideways curvature of the spine that occurs most often during the growth spurt just before puberty."

The study authors begin with an interesting historical overview of scoliosis. "Scoliosis is a word that stems from the ancient Greek word "skolios" which means curved or crooked," note the authors. "The first to describe scoliosis in writing was Hippocrates (460-370 BC)."

According to the American Association of Neurological Surgeons, scoliosis affects 2-3 percent of the population. The primary age of development is between 10 and 15 years. Scoliosis occurs at an even rate between boys and girls but seems to be more severe on average in girls.

Scoliosis is classified into three types: neuromuscular, congenital, or idiopathic. Neuromuscular scoliosis is when the curvature is secondary to another disease process such as cerebral palsy, spinal cord trauma, muscular dystrophy, spinal muscular atrophy or spina bifida. Congenital scoliosis is from a vertebrae that mal-forms during the development in the womb. Idiopathic scoliosis accounts for about 80% of all scoliosis and is determined when both neuromuscular and congenital scoliosis have been ruled out. This type is usually diagnosed during puberty.

Medically, the two options for treatment of scoliosis are bracing and surgery. Bracing is not effective for correction of a curvature and is used to try to stop a curve from getting worse up till the point where the patient is fully grown. Surgery is a drastic step that should only be used as a last resort in the most severe of cases. Surgery has many other long term issues and must be weighed against how severe the problem was in the first place.

In this case, a 7-year-old boy with a recent diagnosis of idiopathic scoliosis was brought to the chiropractor. There was no associated pain or complaints. The boy's mother was concerned due to the diagnosis and that she was told her son would need to wear a brace to prevent the curve from getting worse. The child was not taking any medications and had no other health issues.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included postural analysis, orthopedic testing, motion and static palpation, range of motion, and a spinal x-ray. The tests showed positive findings and the x-ray showed a considerable scoliosis curvature that was measured at 25 degrees. It was determined that there were subluxations present in the boy's spine, so a series of 16 chiropractic adjustments were given over a 5 week period.

After the 16 adjustments, a second spinal x-ray was taken for comparison. In this new x-ray, the scoliosis had decreased considerably, going from 25 degrees to just 11 degrees for a improvement of 14 degrees. Postural analysis also showed improvements over the initial examination. The boy continued to receive chiropractic adjustments at a reduced schedule.

In their conclusion, the authors of the study wrote, "This case shows a situation in which chiropractic adjustments seem to have a positive effect on reduction of the scoliotic curve in this 7-year-old male. It is possible that the subluxation plays a role in the development of scoliosis and managing them accordingly may improve curvature in certain individuals."

The World Health Organization (WHO) issued a list of twelve "Priority Pathogens" that pose a great health risk to mankind. The WHO is asking that researchers focus on development of new antibiotics to fight these bacteria.

In a February 27, 2017, release titled, "WHO publishes list of bacteria for which new antibiotics are urgently needed", the WHO points out that this list represents a growing concern about the ineffectiveness of antibiotic usage against bacteria that have been evolving and adapting quickly.

Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, WHO's Assistant Director-General for Health Systems and Innovation stated, "Antibiotic resistance is growing, and we are fast running out of treatment options. If we leave it to market forces alone, the new antibiotics we most urgently need are not going to be developed in time." In an interview, Dr. Kieny continued, "This list is not meant to scare people about new superbugs. It's intended to signal research and development priorities to address urgent public health threat."

Just two days earlier, the Washington Post ran an article titled, "Dangerous antibiotic-resistant infections on the rise for children in the U.S., study finds." This new study published in the Journal of the Pediatric Infectious Diseases Society highlighted how big the problem of antibiotic resistance has become. This study found that 3 out of 5 children admitted to hospitals already had an antibiotic-resistant infection.

Dr. Sharon Meropol, the study’s lead author and an assistant professor of pediatrics, epidemiology and biostatistics at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine commented, "Antibiotic resistance increasingly threatens our ability to treat our children's infections."

Part of the concern is the over usage of antibiotics not only in human illness, but also in agriculture. Animals are given antibiotics in many cases just as a prevention. The issue is that the bacteria in them become resistant and then find their way to human populations.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, (CDC) for every 1000 people in the US who see a doctor, 842 are given antibiotics. Dr. Theoklis Zaoutis, professor of pediatrics at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia states that, "About 30 percent of antibiotic use is either inappropriate or unnecessary in the U.S."

The CDC highlights this growing issue on their website. "Antibiotic resistance is one of the world's most pressing public health problems. Illnesses that were once easily treatable with antibiotics* are becoming more difficult to cure and more expensive to treat. Infections from common antibiotic-resistant food borne bacteria, such as Salmonella, can cause more severe health outcomes than infections with bacteria that are not resistant to antibiotics."

The WHO ended their release on this issue with a stern warning that speaks to an overall re-thinking of how we use antibiotics. "While more R&D is vital, alone, it cannot solve the problem. To address resistance, there must also be better prevention of infections and appropriate use of existing antibiotics in humans and animals, as well as rational use of any new antibiotics that are developed in future."

On February 27, 2017, the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study documenting a patient suffering a loss of the sense of smell (Anosmia), which was corrected with chiropractic care. According to the Anosmia Foundation, between 2 and 5 million American adults suffer from some form of this condition.

The study reports that a loss of smell can be either partial or complete, and can be temporary or permanent. A complete loss of smell is rarer. The condition is more common in the elderly population. Some of the associated causes can include head trauma, sinus or nasal diseases, pathologies, toxic exposures such as cocaine abuse, and some very rare congenital anomalies. Several medical conditions have also been associated with a loss of the sense of smell. These include: Alzheimer's disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, and depression.

In this case, a 58-year-old woman came to the chiropractor for care related to her high blood pressure as well as symptoms from a recent car accident a month earlier. Her blood pressure condition had been present for 20 years since the birth of her son, and she was taking medication since that time. Since her car accident, she had been suffering with right shoulder and mid-back pain.

The woman reported that she had been involved in another car accident 9 years prior. It was immediately after this accident that she had lost her sense of smell. Her ability to smell had not returned since that time.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included palpation, a posture assessment, paraspinal surface EMG, and x-rays. Based on the findings, specific forms of chiropractic care were initiated.

The results of the care were objectively documented by improvements in the paraspinal surface EMG, the spinal x-rays and the other examination procedures that were performed.

Over the course of care, the woman reported that the pain from her most recent accident was dramatically reduced. Additionally, she noted that her sense of smell had completely returned.

The study authors noted that there is no standard medical care for anosmia. Many times, this condition is overlooked because of the concern of more severe injuries in post-traumatic accidents. A common medical treatment for this condition is the use of oral steroids. However, published studies on this type of treatment has shown that the use of steroids is just as effective as spontaneous recovery, but carries significant risk of side effects.

Because of the lack of successful medical treatment, and the increased risk due to steroid usage, the authors believe that additional studies into chiropractic for people with a loss of their sense of smell is warranted.