Improvement in Cystic Fibrosis in a Child Undergoing
Chiropractic Care: A Case Study
A scientific case study was
published on November 30, 2010, in the Journal of Pediatric,
Maternal & Family Health, documenting the case of a child
with Cystic Fibrosis who was helped with chiropractic care.
This study involved an eight year old boy who was brought to
the chiropractor with complaints of recurring infections, an
inability to sleep, and the inability to participate in
age-appropriate sports.
According to the Cystic Fibrosis
foundation, "Cystic fibrosis is an inherited chronic disease
that affects the lungs and digestive system of about 30,000
children and adults in the United States (70,000 worldwide).
A defective gene and its protein product causes the body to
produce unusually thick, sticky mucus that: clogs the lungs
and leads to life-threatening lung infections; obstructs
the pancreas, and stops natural enzymes from helping the body
break down and absorb food."
In this case the parents of this
8 year old boy brought their son to the chiropractor in the
hopes of improving, “the quality of life” of their son. The
boy had been diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis at birth, which
was confirmed a month later by additional testing. The boy
was averaging 3 hospitalizations per year due to infections
and respiratory distress, totaling between 2-8 weeks of
hospitalization per year. The boy was taking an average of
10 medications daily for his variety of problems.
A chiropractic examination
showed restricted ranges of motion, changes in surface
temperature and multiple areas of spinal sensitivity to
touch. The results of the test led to the conclusion of the
presence of subluxations in the young boy. Subluxations are
when one or more of the bones of the spine (vertebrae) move
out of position and create pressure on, or irritate spinal
nerves. This pressure or irritation on the nerves then
causes those nerves to malfunction and interfere with the
signals traveling over those nerves.
Care was initiated involving
regular specific adjustments for correction of the
subluxations. Over the course of the initial portion of care
it was reported on several occasions that the boy was able
to breathe better and able to fall asleep easier and remain
asleep throughout the night.
The boy continued under long
term chiropractic care ranging from 1-2 adjustments per
week, and after 1.5 years of continuous care, he showed a
significant improvement in his physical findings as well as
his lifestyle. It was reported that he was significantly
able to increase his physical activity, to the point where
he was actively seeking to attain a black belt in karate. It
was additionally noted that his attendance in school
increased and he was able to be free of trips to the
hospital for 8 months. Additionally, the boy suffered less
colds, an increase in height and weight, a reduction in
medications and a surge in energy.
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