July 2011 issue Health&Wellness

• Menstrual Problems Helped With Chiropractic - A Case Study
• Reduction in Cholesterol and Improved Quality of Life with Chiropractic - A Case Study
• Scoliosis Helped with Chiropractic - A Case Study
• Sleep and Walking Improved in a Two Year Old with Chiropractic
• Home Births on the Rise in US
• Infant Mortality Rates Linked to the Number of Vaccines Given

Menstrual Problems Helped With Chiropractic - A Case Study

On May 23, 2011, a case study appeared in the scientific periodical, The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, documenting the case of a 21-year-old woman who had not had a menstrual cycle in 5 years, and was helped by chiropractic care.

In this case, a woman went to the chiropractor suffering from back pain and with a history of amenorrhea.  Amenorrhea is described as an absence of a menstrual cycle for more than three months. In this case, the history noted that at the early age of 7, this girl started to have menstrual cycles. Her medical doctor treated her with Lupron injections, a drug used to stop menstrual cycles and the onset of puberty. At the age of 9, her medical doctor discontinued the treatment believing that the girl was old enough to start menstruation.   From the age of 9 until the age of 15, the girl's menstrual cycles were irregular and became less frequent, discontinuing at age 16. She did, however, have menstrual cramps without having a normal menstrual cycle. At that point, the girl was placed on oral contraceptives in an attempt to help regulate her cycle. However, the medication caused her menstrual bleeding to become extremely heavy. Additionally, the drugs negatively impacted her emotional state which eventually led to her discontinuing use of the medication. In addition to this, the woman also suffered a fall, injuring her lower back, which coincided with the total interruption of her menstrual cycles.

Upon going to the chiropractor, an examination was performed consisting of a postural evaluation, static and motion palpation, thermography, and surface electromyography. A determination was made that subluxations were present. Care was initiated consisting of regular specific adjustments for correction of the subluxations. As care progressed, the woman reported experiencing better posture, more energy, and improvement in overall health. Approximately 12 weeks into care, the patient reported the start of her menstrual cycle for the first time in 5 years.   Further examinations continued to show improvement with the woman's overall health. She reported a loss in weight, and the continuation of normal menstrual cycles. In their conclusion, the authors discuss how subluxations can have a detrimental effect on body functions including reproduction. They stated, "This case, as well as the reviewed literature, shows that chiropractic may play a beneficial role in reproductive health."

Reduction in Cholesterol and Improved Quality of Life with Chiropractic - A Case Study

A case study documenting improved cholesterol levels and quality of life as a result of chiropractic care was published in the June 2, 2011, issue of the scientific periodical the Annals of  Vertebral Subluxation Research. This study noted that cardiovascular disease is the number one cause of death in the United States. The study also reports that a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease is dyslipidemia which they define as a "combination of ill-favored cholesterol levels in the circulating blood".

In this study, a 49-year-old female dental hygienist went to a chiropractor with complaints of neck pain, right carpal tunnel syndrome, and low back pain. When a history was taken, it was also noted that the woman had dyslipidemia, which in this case, was shown by abnormal lab levels including elevated cholesterol levels.

A chiropractic examination and x-rays were performed on the woman which showed a decreased range of motion, postural anomalies, and disc space changes in the vertebrae of her neck. From these and additional findings, it was determined that the woman had vertebral subluxations. The authors of the study defined subluxation by saying, "A vertebral subluxation is a dysfunction of a biomechanical segment in the spine that actively alters proper neurological function and can lead to visceral and neuromusculoskeletal disorders."

A specific course of chiropractic care was initiated at the rate of two to three visits per week. The study reported improvements in cholesterol with the following changes having occurred. "During initial care, her total cholesterol improved from 221 to 170 mg/dL, LDL (bad cholesterol) went from 153 to 109 mg/dL and HDL (good cholesterol) went from 33 to 38 mg/dL. Triglycerides improved from 241 to 199 mg/dL."

In addition to the blood cholesterol changes, the woman's quality of life was improved as measured by eight categories, including her reporting a decrease in pain, as well as self-reported improvement in her general health and emotional well-being.

Scoliosis Helped with Chiropractic - A Case Study

In the May 16, 2011, issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health is a case study documenting the improvement through chiropractic of a 14-year-old girl with idiopathic scoliosis. Scoliosis is described as a lateral curvature of the spine with vertebral rotation. According to the study author, adolescent idiopathic scoliosis affects between 2 to 9 percent of the population.

Idiopathic scoliosis means curvature of the spine from an unknown origin. The results of this can include such problems as back pain, postural problems, self-image issues, and in more severe cases, even breathing difficulties.

In this case, a 14-year-old girl was brought to the chiropractor for evaluation of her adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. It was also reported that her chief complaint was mild mid-back and hip pain made worse by running cross-country at school and sitting in a chair for prolonged periods of time. She also reported that she did not have the same level of stamina as other girls on her cross-country team.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included postural x-rays. The curvature was measured on the x-ray to be 24 degrees on the primary curve and 17 degrees for the secondary curvature. Chiropractic care was initiated at a frequency of twice a week for 2 months then decreasing to weekly for a while before eventually being seen on a monthly basis. During this time the patient was given chiropractic adjustments along with rehabilitative exercises.

After 17 months of care, her scoliosis had improved from angles of 24°/17° down to angles of only 15°/6°. Her breathing improved as did her chest expansion ability. The range of motion for her torso also improved. All the indicators continued to improve on follow-ups over a 4 year period.

In his discussion, the author summed of this case by stating, "Chiropractic rehabilitation, when correctly applied to patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis, can have a significant, longstanding effect on the structure of the spine and related symptoms."

Sleep and Walking Improved in a Two-Year-Old with Chiropractic

In the May 4, 2011, issue of the scientific periodical, the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, appears a case study documenting chiropractic care helping a two-year-old boy who was having trouble walking after having recovered from a broken leg.

In this case, the boy had suffered a broken tibia in his leg by falling down some stairs. The boy received medical care and was placed in a cast. The cast was removed after 8 weeks when the fracture had healed. After removal of the cast, the boy was experiencing trouble walking and was subsequently brought into a chiropractor to see if he could be helped.

The boy's mother reported that prior to his accident, her son was able to walk normally. She noticed that after the accident, her son had trouble walking on the leg that was not broken and that he now had a toe-in positioning of both feet while standing and walking which were not present prior to the fracture.

A chiropractic examination was performed including asking the boy to walk and run. The doctor noted that when walking the boy had a greatly exaggerated toe-in gate which made it difficult for the boy to keep his balance. When running, the boy did not use his right hip or knee, but instead used his body mass to move that side of his body. He did, however, use the left side normally, even though that was the side of the fracture.

It was determined that vertebral subluxations were present in the boy's thoracic and pelvic regions, and a course of corrective adjustments was initiated to correct the subluxations. On the first visit, the parents, who were under care and were anxious to get their son adjusted, mentioned that their pediatrician expressed concerns about getting the boy adjusted. After being reassured that the adjustments given to their son were specifically designed for the child's size, care was initiated. 

On the second visit, the parents reported that their son was walking somewhat better and he had slept normally for the first time in a while. By the fifth visit the boy was walking much better and the only noted abnormality in his gait was when he was running. By the 14th visit, the boy had no problems with either walking or running and he had slept normally ever since his first adjustment.

In their study conclusions, the authors explained their results by stating, "This case study described a pediatric patient with a healed tibial fracture. During the time of casting, compensation led to fixations in the spine, pelvis and lower extremity. Chiropractic care helped to restore the child’s normal gait, range of motion, and sleeping patterns."

Home Births on the Rise in US

Several news articles covered a recent study released by the US Centers for Disease Control on May 20, 2011, which showed that home births have increased 20 percent from 2004 to 2008. The study notes that this increase occurred after a steady decline in home births between the years 1990 and 2004.

According to the study, in 2008, there were 28,357 home births in the United States. The study reported that the largest increase was in white women who were predominantly college educated and between 30 and 40 years of age. In a May 20, 2011, CNN article on the subject, study lead author, Marian F. MacDorman of the National Center for Health Statistics at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted that home births were at their highest level since 1990.

The CNN article quoted her as saying, "Women may prefer a home over a hospital birth for a variety of reasons including a desire for a low intervention birth in a familiar environment surrounded by family and friends," MacDorman said. "Cultural or religious concerns, lack of transportation in rural areas and cost factors may also play a role as total costs for home births are about 1/3 those for a hospital birth."

Although there was a 20 percent increase in home births, the rates still remain relatively low with only 0.56 percent of births being at home in 2004, and increased to only 0.67 percent by 2008. In a May 20, 2011, Health News article lead study author, Marian MacDorman speculated about why there was such a wide difference in home births between white women and other ethicalities by saying, "I think there's more of a natural birth subculture going on with white women - an interest in a low-intervention birth in a familiar setting".

In a WebMD article on the same day, MacDorman explained that some of the increase may be due to a fear of medical intervention. She explained, "For example, a lot of concern about the rising C-section rate, rising medical interventions, induction of labor, episiotomy, and so forth. I think there's a certain group of women who maybe feel nervous about going to the hospital and maybe having a C-section they didn't want or something like that."

In the same WebMD article, Aaron Caughey, MD, PhD, chair of the department of obstetrics and gynecology and director of the center for women's health at Oregon Health and Science University, in Portland chimed in and agreed. "There is currently a cesarean epidemic in the United States." Caughey noted that in 1996, 21 percent of births were C-sections, but by 2009, the number was 32 percent, representing a 50 percent increase, "making cesarean delivery the most common surgery that a woman under the age of 50 will have."

Infant Mortality Rates Linked to the Number of Vaccines Given  

A shocking research study published on May 4, 2011, shows a link between the number of vaccinations given to infants and an increase in infant mortality rate, (IMR). The study, published in the peer reviewed international journal, Human & Experimental Toxicology, looked at the infant mortality rate (IMR) for 34 nations including the United States, and compared that to the number of vaccinations given in the first year of life.

In the study's introduction, the authors note that infant mortality rate (IMR) is one of the most important measures of children's health and overall development in countries. In developing nations, IMRs are higher because the basic necessities, such as clean water, good nutrition, good sanitation, and easy access to health care, are lacking or unevenly distributed. In developed nations, such as the US, these factors do not come into play and are not primarily responsible for IMR statistics.

The United States spends more than any other nation per capita on healthcare. In spite of this fact, of the 34 developed nations studies, the US ranks 34th in IMR. According to the study, the US infant mortality rate is 6.22 deaths per 1000 live births. In comparison, the study shows that some countries have IMRs that are less than half the US rate.  Singapore, Sweden, and Japan have IMRs below 2.80, and Cuba which  ranks just above the US, has an IMR of 5.82 deaths per 1000 live births. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "The relative position of the United States in comparison to countries with the lowest infant mortality rates appears to be worsening".

In this study, a literature review was conducted to compare the immunization schedules for infants under the age of one in the United States with the other 33 nations with better IMRs.  The study was conducted by separating the nations into one of five groups based on the number of vaccine doses they routinely give their infants in the first year of life. The groups were: 12–14, 15–17, 18–20, 21–23, and 24–26 vaccine doses. The US gives the highest number at 26 doses in the first year of life.

These groups were then compared for IMR in relationship to the number of vaccines given. The results of the study showed a direct linear correlation between the number of vaccines given to infants and the IMR. As the number of vaccines given to infants increases, so does the death rate among infants.

The study authors, in reviewing this data, note that many nations adhere to an agreed upon International
Classification of Diseases (ICD) for grouping infant deaths into 130 categories. They also note that among the 34 nations analyzed, those that require the most vaccines tend to have the worst IMRs. Because of this, the authors then ask several important questions. "Is it possible that some nations are requiring too many vaccines for their infants and the additional vaccines are a toxic burden on their health? Are some deaths that are listed within the 130 infant mortality death categories really deaths that are associated with over-vaccination? Are some vaccine-related deaths hidden within the death tables?"

Barbara Loe Fisher founder of the National Vaccine Information Center, puts these statistics into human perspective in an article and a video posted on the NVIC website at www.nvic.org. She says, "According to the most recent National Vital Statistics Report, more than 26,000 American babies born alive in 2009 died before their first birthday, which gives the U.S. a very high infant mortality rate of 6 infant deaths per 1,000 live births.  In 1960, America ranked 12th in infant mortality among all nations of the world. In 2005, we had fallen to number 30. Today in America, there are more premature babies than ever before and more full term babies die before their first birthday than in most European countries."

The Barbara Loe Fisher, NVIC article and video can be seen at:
http://www.nvic.org/NVIC-Vaccine-News/May-2011/In-Memoriam--Infant-Deaths---Vaccination.aspx.
Video on Youtube at: http://youtu.be/UWe8_Gg8fjE.
The full Human & Experimental Toxicology research article is open access and can be seen at:
http://het.sagepub.com/content/early/2011/05/04/0960327111407644.full.pdf+html.