July 2022

Dizziness and Neck Pain Resolved with Chiropractic
Successful Vaginal Birth After Cesarean - A Chiropractic Case Study
Remission of Headaches and Neck Pain Following Chiropractic in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis
Has Chiropractic Gone to the Pigs?

Dizziness and Neck Pain Resolved with Chiropractic

The Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published the results of a case study on June 16, 2022, documenting the chiropractic resolution of cervicogenic dizziness and neck pain in a patient who had been suffering with these problems for a year.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine's Archives of Physiology, "Cervicogenic dizziness is characterized by the presence of imbalance, unsteadiness, disorientation, neck pain, limited cervical range of motion (ROM), and may be accompanied by a headache. The cervical spine may be considered the cause of the dizziness when all other potential causes of dizziness are excluded."

The study begins by explaining that "Cervicogenic dizziness is often distinguished from other forms of dizziness by both complaints of neck or suboccipital pain, and should be related to changes within the cervical spine. Another key differentiating factor is the onset of symptoms after cervical trauma; seen in one third of patients."

In this case, a 49-year-old woman sought out chiropractic care to see if she could be helped with her problems. The woman was suffering with upper neck pain and discomfort for the past year. Her pain was correlated with dizziness that she was having when the neck pain occurred. Her pain and dizziness started after a fall out of an Acro yoga apparatus. The woman fell about one meter directly onto her head on a concrete floor. Her symptoms affected her daily life and her ability to work at a desk for more than two hours.

A chiropractic examination was performed which revealed altered ranges of motion in her neck both globally as well as for certain cervical segments. Spinal neck x-rays were also taken to determine the positioning of the vertebrae in her neck. From the results of the tests, it was determined that subluxations were present and a course of specific chiropractic care was started to address the subluxations.

On the woman’s second visit, after her first adjustment, she made the comment that "feel(s) like my head is on correctly." She also reported that she had not had any dizziness since her first adjustment. On the woman’s fourth visit, she reported that she was "back to pre-injury function and feeling great". As care continued, she continued to state that she felt great. Follow-up exam procedures also showed structural and functional improvements.

In their conclusion, the authors wrote that her chiropractic care "…was associated with resolution of cervicogenic dizziness and upper cervical pain, improved spinal range of motion, reduced presence of vertebral subluxation and improvements in self-reported measures of pain and function."

Successful Vaginal Birth After Cesarean - A Chiropractic Case Study

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of a case study on June 3, 2022, documenting the successful vaginal delivery of a baby from a woman who had previously delivered her two children via cesarean, after receiving chiropractic care,

According to the National Library of Medicine’s MedlinePlus, "A Cesarean section (C-section) is surgery to deliver a baby. The baby is taken out through the mother's abdomen. In the United States, almost one in three women has their babies this way. Some C-sections are planned, but many are done when unexpected problems happen during delivery."

Years ago, it was believed that once a cesarean was performed, the mother would no longer be able to deliver a baby vaginally. However, with the higher rates of morbidity (serious health consequences) associated cesarean, it is now considered desirable to return to vaginal births when possible, even after a cesarean birth.

In this case, a 40-year-old woman who was 33 weeks into her pregnancy, went to the chiropractor because of the severe hip pain she was experiencing. The woman rated the pain as 7/10 with 10 being the worst. She stated that she had never had this pain before, and that any movement aggravated her pain. This was the woman’s 4th pregnancy, with the two previous children having been delivered via cesarean.

After a chiropractic examination, determination was made that subluxations were present and specific chiropractic care was initiated. The care included the "Webster Technique" a specific chiropractic procedure developed to assist pregnant women.

Within several visits of starting chiropractic care, the woman reported that her pain had reduced from 7/10 to 4/10. Shortly thereafter, in her 40th week or pregnancy, the woman went into labor and delivered a healthy, 10 pound, 6 ounce baby girl.

In their discussion the authors summed up the benefit of chiropractic for pregnant women by stating, "Giving women the power and ability to give birth in a way that foregoes an unnecessary cesarean section may allow for a safer and more satisfying birth experience for both the woman and infant. Educating women on chiropractic care and especially the Webster Technique to address the biomechanical issues that may inhibit a woman from having a natural birth may give the power back to women and decrease the likelihood of an unnecessary cesarean section."

Remission of Headaches and Neck Pain Following Chiropractic in a Patient with Neurofibromatosis

The Chiropractic Journal of Australia published the results of a case study on February 8, 2022, documenting chiropractic care helping a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), get relief from headaches and neck pain.

According to the Mayo Clinic website, "Neurofibromatoses are a group of genetic disorders that cause tumors to form on nerve tissue. These tumors can develop anywhere in the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and nerves." Type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF1) is the most common type and can lead to a variety of other health issues including scoliosis, bone healing problems, bone cysts, bone thinning, and a variety of musculoskeletal pain.

In this case, a 25-year-old man who had been diagnosed ten years earlier with type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF1) sought chiropractic care for help with pain he was having on the right side of the head and neck for the previous six months. He rated his neck pain as 2 out of 10, with 10 being the worst, and rated his head pain as 8 out of 10. The man described his head pain as a pulsating squeezing around the right forehead, that lasted about an hour that occurred 2-3 times each day.

A chiropractic examination and x-rays showed restricted neck motion, multiple sensitive areas of the cervical spine, and a loss of the normal forward neck curve as measured on the x-rays. Based on the findings, and to assist with the significant pain the man was experiencing, chiropractic care was started daily for the first week. Within that first week, the man reported a decrease in his head pain from a previous 8 out of 10, down to 5 out of 10.

After four weeks of chiropractic care, the man reported a significant reduction in his headaches and neck pain as well as improved sleep and a decreased reliance on the medication he was taking for the pain. As care continued, the man reported continued improvement until he was asymptomatic.

Several months into his care, the man discontinued chiropractic and noticed that his headaches started to return. Upon re-starting chiropractic, his headaches quickly disappeared. New spinal x-rays were taken at that time and showed an improvement in his neck curvature over the original x-rays. The man then opted to continue maintenance chiropractic.

The study reports that five years later, the man was still under maintenance care and was asymptomatic with no return of the initial signs or symptoms while being able to engage in normal activities of his daily life. New final neck x-rays also showed a continual improvement of the man’s neck curvature.

In their conclusion the study authors wrote, "This case report details the long-term recovery of a patient with NF1 from severe headaches and neck pain following chiropractic treatment. It provides evidence and highlights the value of chiropractic intervention in improving neuromuscular functions and resolving cervicogenic headache in a patient with NF1, especially when the problems cannot be effectively solved by pharmacological or other conservative means. Chiropractic manipulative therapy may be a viable option as conservative management of musculoskeletal dysfunction resulting from NF1."

Has Chiropractic Gone to the Pigs?

There have been many case studies on chiropractic for animals. Most of these cases are on dogs or horses. A new study published on June 28, 2022, in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research looks at chiropractic care for a group of pigs. This study looked from the farmer’s perspective on how chiropractic affected the expenses for the feed harvesting of the pigs who received chiropractic, compared to those that did not.

The title of the study is, "Chiropractic Directed at Subluxation Reduction Improves Speed of Harvest Rate, Reduces Feed Costs and Increases Feed Efficiency in Piglets: A Controlled Field Study of Rate of Gain in 109 Piglets." This study could have a profound impact on pig farmers and their bottom-line profitability, as well as the price of the food for consumers.

In this study, 109 piglets weaned on the same day were included in the study. From the total number of pigs, some were assigned to a group that received chiropractic adjustments, while the remainder did not receive chiropractic. The pigs assigned to the chiropractic group were adjusted and tagged for identification. When the pigs grew and were moved to the "fattening pen", those in the chiropractic group received a second adjustment. The non-chiropractic pigs were handled in the exact same manner but were not given chiropractic adjustments. The pigs are eventually sent to be harvests when they have reached a large enough weight.

The results of the study showed that on average the pigs that received chiropractic adjustments were able to be harvested six days earlier than the non-chiropractic group. Livestock that can be harvested sooner will reduce expenditures for the farmer in feed, medical care, and housing. This reduction of expense can then be passed on to market in the way of lower costs to consumers.

The researchers explained how chiropractic can have this effect on animals. "Chiropractic addresses vertebral subluxations in the spinal column by delivering a high velocity, short lever thrust by hand or with an instrument. A subluxation is defined as a shift in the normal structure of one vertebrae in reference to the vertebrae on either side of it. This shift can cause a biomechanical change that can interfere with the nervous system." If the nervous system is functioning properly, the pigs can grow faster and healthier thus reducing costs.

The implications for chiropractic being introduced into the farming of livestock could have a profound effect on farmers and consumers. In their conclusion the study authors wrote, "Animal chiropractic in a livestock production setting has strong potential to address many challenges the American agriculture producer faces while raising a high-quality end product." They projected that if chiropractic were implemented in a larger scale the impact would be considerable. They stated "…animal chiropractic implemented on a large scale could result in a huge reduction in feed utilization, therefore making a more sustainable and more affordable end product."