April 2023

• Ménière’s Disease Helped by Chiropractic
• Asthma and Sever’s Disease Symptoms Helped by Chiropractic - A Case Study
• Severe Pelvic Pain in Pregnant Woman Resolved Under Chiropractic Care
• TMJ Pain Helped with Chiropractic

The Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published the results of a case study on March 21, 2023, documenting the resolution under chiropractic care of long-standing Meniere’s Disease and multiple associated symptoms.

The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders defines this condition by stating, "Meniere’s disease is a disorder of the inner ear that causes severe dizziness (vertigo), ringing in the ears (tinnitus), hearing loss, and a feeling of fullness or congestion in the ear." They estimate that approximately 615,000 people in the United States are currently diagnosed with Meniere’s disease and that 45,500 cases are newly diagnosed every year.

In this case, a 48-year-old woman, a retired nurse, went to the chiropractor. The woman had been suffering with Meniere’s Disease for many years, as well as a long list of associated symptoms from this condition. Her condition was initially only in one ear. Eventually, her other ear also started to have problems.

The woman’s history involved a number of accidents and incidents including, as a child, falling off her bike requiring head and knee stitches, falling off a horse and being kicked in the jaw, and falling out of a tree onto her back, leaving her unable to walk for two days. As an adult, she passed out in her kitchen and hit her forehead on a highchair, then the back of her head on the floor, knocking her unconscious. She had also been involved in multiple car accidents.

The woman had a variety of symptoms including vertigo episodes with nausea and vomiting, hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, imbalance, hearing distortion, brain fog, severe sweating, severe depression, anxiety with panic attacks, IBS, TMJ dysfunction, migraines, headaches, chronic fatigue, neck pain and radiating low back pain.

Because the woman was suffering with so many symptoms, her MD’s dismissed her as being a hypochondriac or someone just looking for drugs. She recalled her story by saying, "I have been called lots of things. Hypochondriac was one, liar, drug seeker, psychotic, and a hermit. Hard to explain how the medical world left me to die. I thought I was dying every day. I was told to learn to live with it. I can’t describe it, but it is awful. Meniere’s patients don’t realize that this is a massive autonomic dysfunction problem. They think that either somehow Meniere's is causing all of this without realizing these are just more symptoms of the bigger problem or they have zero clue that all of this is connected because the medical community tells them there is nothing wrong."

Specific forms of chiropractic care were started to correct the subluxations that were detected during an examination. Because the patient lived many miles from the original chiropractor, care was also given by additional chiropractors closer to the woman’s home who used the same approach.

Over the course of care, it was recorded that the woman improved in all aspects of her previous conditions. The original chiropractor, and author of this study kept in touch with this woman to monitor the progress of her care. He also performed a follow-up examination to verify the improvement. In recording the woman’s overall improvement, the author stated in his conclusion, "Chiropractic care had resolved all her complaints except hearing loss though it did improve."

The Asian Pacific Chiropractic Journal published the results of a case study in their April 2023 edition documenting the case of a child with asthma and Sever's Disease being helped by chiropractic. According to the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, "Sever’s disease is the most common cause of heel pain in growing children, especially those who play sports or exercise regularly. Also known as calcaneal apophysitis, Sever’s disease occurs when the growth plate in the back of the heel becomes inflamed and painful."

This study begins by explaining, "Sever’s disease (SD) is of common occurrence in the paediatric [sic] population and the condition has been described as one which causes pain in the posterior heel and is more common in children from 8 to 15 years of age." The study continues, "Children and adolescents engaged in high rates of physical activity seem to be at a greater risk of developing the condition, which is more common in boys."

In describing the prevalence of asthma, the authors report, "Asthma is a global issue that affects all age groups. In the paediatric [sic] population an increase in prevalence has been observed in recent years. Current paediatric [sic] asthma prevalence is stated to be around 7%, with school-age children having a prevalence of 8.6%."

In this case, a 9-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor by his parents. The parents were seeking a second opinion for their son’s heel pains which had been previously diagnosed as bilateral Sever’s disease by the boy’s pediatrician who recommended physical therapy. After two months without relief, the boy’s parents decided to bring their son to a chiropractor.

The parents also revealed that their son had been suffering with asthma since he was 6-months-old and had been hospitalized for his condition. Over the years, the boy was prescribed a variety of medications to treat his asthma. Unfortunately, his asthma was still not well controlled.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included a postural analysis, paraspinal infrared thermography, a gait analysis, spinal palpation, and spinal x-rays. The results of the exam revealed multiple spinal abnormalities and subluxations. With these findings, specific forms of chiropractic care were recommended, and with parental consent, care was started.

As care progressed, the study documented that the boy had significant reductions in his heel pain. In addition, they also documented the improvement in his asthma, having progressed from a status of "poorly controlled asthma" to a level of "well-controlled asthma." The study also documented improvements in the boy’s gait and posture, as demonstrated by follow-up examinations and x-rays.

In their conclusion, the authors noted, "The results from this case report revealed that a multimodal program of chiropractic care with the goal of correcting ‘global’ spinal subluxations was effective at improving Sever’s disease, and asthma in a 9y [sic] male patient. Also, improvements were observed in certain gait parameters in the child…"

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of a case study on March 7, 2023, documenting the elimination of severe pelvic pain with chiropractic in a woman who was 26 weeks pregnant. The study was titled, "Resolution of Symphysis Pubis Pain & Dysfunction in a Pregnant Patient Following Chiropractic Care to Reduce Subluxation."

The symphysis pubis is where the two bones of the front of the pelvic come together to form a strong fibrous stabilizing joint. During pregnancy, certain hormones are released to create a laxity of pelvic ligaments in order to make childbirth somewhat easier. If there are more of the hormones than needed, the pelvic joints can become too lax and create pain or other issues. Specifically, the symphysis pubis can separate too far and become extremely painful. The study reported that it is estimated that 31.7% of pregnant women will suffer some form of symphysis pubis pain.

In this case, a woman, who was 26.4 weeks into her pregnancy, sought chiropractic care for help for severe pelvic pain in her symphysis pubis region. The woman reported that the pain started at about the 10th week of her pregnancy. She rated her pain as a 10 out of 10 (worst possible) and characterized it as a constant, sharp, throbbing, burning, and aching pain. Movement, especially walking, made her pain even worse. The woman reported that in addition to her pelvic pain, she was also experiencing secondary symptoms of lower back and neck pain, but she said that these were not as severe as her pelvic pain.

The woman’s obstetrician diagnosed her with symphysis pubis dysfunction (SPD) and told that her pain was normal for pregnancy. The obstetrician offered no treatment for her issues. The woman noted that swimming provided her with some relief, but as soon as she left the water, her pain would return.

During the woman’s chiropractic examination, she became very emotional and started crying while describing how severe her pain was. She stated that the pain was so bad that she did not want to be pregnant, or ever get pregnant again. The woman had pain during the entire exam process and multiple areas of her pelvis and spine were very sensitive to the touch.

Based upon the finding of her examination, it was determined that chiropractic care would be appropriate and was started. Specific forms of chiropractic care were started including a procedure known as the "Webster Technique."

The patient reported that she immediately felt some relief following her first adjustment. She was scheduled to return in a week; however, she went into labor and had her baby. Upon returning to the chiropractor after her delivery, the woman reported that she no longer had any of the pelvic pain she was previously suffering with from the time of her first adjustment through her delivery.

On March 19, 2023, the results of a case study were published in Cureus, by the Department of Chiropractic, New York Medical Group, EC Healthcare, in Kowloon, Hong Kong, of severe TMJ pain being completely eliminated under chiropractic care.

Temporomandibular Disorder, more commonly known as "TMJ", is best described medically by the Cleveland Clinic as "Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ) disorders are conditions affecting the jaw joints and surrounding muscles and ligaments. It can be caused by trauma, an improper bite, arthritis or wear and tear. Common symptoms include jaw tenderness, headaches, earaches and facial pain."

The study in Cureus begins by explaining, "Temporomandibular disorders (TMDs) constitute pathological symptoms that affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and surrounding musculoskeletal tissues." The study authors further explain, "Annually, TMD occurs in 4% of the adult population in the USA. TMD is primarily characterized by musculoskeletal pain syndromes which comprise myofascial pain, myalgia, and arthralgia."

In this case, a 39-year-old woman sought chiropractic care for help for worsening bilateral TMJ pain and dysfunction. The woman described the pain as an ache that was made worse by chewing, yawning, and talking. She rated the pain as a 6 out of 10, and also had reported frequent jaw locking in an open-mouth position.

Four weeks before seeking chiropractic help the woman started experiencing headaches, earaches, and neck pain, which she believed was associated with her TMJ problem. The headaches were occurring 3-4 times per week and were rated as a 6 out of 10 on a pain scale. Her problems were severe enough to affect her daily life including her ability to eat, speak, and sleep. Her dentist eventually suggested she try chiropractic care.

A chiropractic examination showed a reduction in movement of the TMJ as well as her neck. Multiple areas in her neck and jaw were sensitive to the touch. Neck x-rays showed multiple areas of spinal misalignment and a significant reversal of what should have been a normal forward neck curvature.

Specific chiropractic care, along with jaw exercises were started. Within two weeks, the patient reported a 70% reduction of her symptoms including her jaw pain, clicking, and popping, as well as reduced headache and neck pain. After four weeks of chiropractic care, the patient was reported to be fully recovered with no pain and normal motion.

Chiropractic care was continued at a reduced frequency for six months at which time an evaluation was performed. At the time, it was noted that the woman had no symptoms at all. She was able to open her mouth and chew comfortably without pain or clicking sounds, and was rated as having a significantly improved quality of life index.

In their conclusion, the study authors wrote, "Our case study provides substantial evidence that chiropractic therapy is an effective treatment option for TMD and highlights the importance of imaging (photographs and cervical radiographs) to document changes in biomechanics to symptom alleviation."