April 2011 issue Health&Wellness

• Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno Note Importance of Chiropractic
• Reduction in Scoliosis in a 10-Year-Old Girl Undergoing Chiropractic Care: A Case Report
• Improvements in Hearing, Speech, Development, and Behavior Following Chiropractic
• Resolution of Cluster Headaches with Chiropractic - A Case Report
• Improvement from Chiropractic in a Boy with Neurofibromatosis and Asthma: A Case Study
• Creative Thinking following Chiropractic Adjustment

Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno Note Importance of Chiropractic

On March 5 2011, in Columbus Ohio, the sports and fitness world shared a common interest in performance with the chiropractic world.  It was on this day that the Arnold Classic Sports Festival was held along side the International Chiropractors Association (ICA) Sports and Fitness Symposium.  The Arnold Classic brought thousands of athletes including the elite in fitness and bodybuilding. The ICA brought some of the best chiropractic experts on care for athletes and performance enhancement. 

Celebrities were aplenty at these events but several stars made special appearances at the chiropractic event to specifically address the chiropractors.  One such celebrity was Lou Ferrigno, an actor and former champion bodybuilder, who won the International Federation of Body Builders Mr. America title and two consecutive Mr. Universe titles. He spoke to the group of doctors and stated, "I have to say thanks to you because you people will help a lot of people, keep them from having surgery unless they have to have surgery". Ferrigno noted that he recently had to have his knee and hip joints replaced due to years of heavy training. He credited chiropractic for helping him recover and noted, "I need to have chiropractic once a month, or twice a month. Sometimes I go every week because I think it is very vital."

The most anticipated portion of the chiropractic event was when Arnold Schwarzenegger gave a talk to the attendees.  He started his address by praising the relationship that his fitness expo has had with the chiropractors over the past 19 years. He noted that in past years the bodybuilding world and the chiropractic world both had a problem with their image in some peoples' minds. He explained by saying,  "Some people have a terrible image of chiropractic. This is why you are at this convention here. This is why I myself have always been out there campaigning and talking well about chiropractic." Arnold continued, "We've got to let the people know that there is a necessity, it's not even an option, it's a necessity to have a chiropractor. As much as it is a necessity to have a dentist, if you have a dentist for the family, you should have your chiropractor for the family."

Former California Gov. Schwarzenegger then talked about how chiropractic has personally helped him and his family by saying, "I have seen it over the years, over the 40 years since Franco Columbu, my dear friend, became a chiropractor, and how this has helped our family, how many times he has saved the day in our family. So we know the value. We talk about it all the time. Every seminar that I do about exercising and training, weight resistance training, good nutrition, I talk about the importance of chiropractic."

A YouTube video of Gov. Schwarzenegger  making the above remarks can be seen at the following address:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgKlXPS9Jr4   

Reduction in Scoliosis in a 10-Year-Old Girl Undergoing Chiropractic Care: A Case Report

A case study published in the February 28, 2011, issue of the Journal Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health documented the reduction of scoliosis in a 10-year-old girl. The study starts off by noting that the Scoliosis Research Society defines scoliosis as a lateral curvature of the spine measuring 10 degrees or greater using a method called the Cobb angle.

In this case, a 10-year-old girl was brought to a chiropractor with the main complaint of migraine headaches. Her headaches were described as a pounding pain in the front of her forehead around her right eye. She experienced these headaches 2-3 times per week, occasionally accompanied by dizziness and vomiting. Additionally, the girl suffered with complaints of difficulty straightening her back, shoulder tightness, and ringing in the ears.

The history revealed that at the age of one, the girl had fallen down a set of stairs backward. Years later, the girl was diagnosed at a children's orthopedic center with a 35 degree juvenile idiopathic scoliosis. The medical recommendations at that time were to only monitor the curvature to see if it got worse.

When she was brought to the chiropractor, she had never had any previous chiropractic care. A chiropractic examination was performed which included range of motion, palpation, and x-rays. Several areas of the spine were sensitive to the touch and multiple postural abnormalities were observed. Subluxations were determined to be present and a specific course of chiropractic corrective adjustive care was initiated.

The case study reports that seven months after the initial medical diagnosis of juvenile idiopathic scoliosis, and about six months after beginning chiropractic care, the girl returned to the orthopedist for a new set of x-rays to monitor the progression of the scoliosis. This new examination confirmed that the girl's scoliosis had been reduced by 10 degrees since her last examination. 

In subsequent chiropractic examinations, it was reported that the girl was experiencing less frequency in headaches and a 75 percent reduction in the pain. The study also reports that follow-up chiropractic x-rays confirmed the reduction of the curvature first seen on the orthopedist's films.  Furthermore, the girl's range of spinal movement began to return to normal and the areas of sensitivity on her spine had disappeared.

Improvements in Hearing, Speech, Development, and Behavior Following Chiropractic

A case study appeared in the February 14, 2011, issue of the scientific periodical, the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health. This study documented the case of a 4-year-old boy with a history of enlarged adenoids, nasal congestion, hearing loss, speech difficulties, developmental delay, and behavioral concerns, who was subsequently helped with chiropractic.

The article begins by noting that otitis media is one of the most common causes of hearing loss among young children with possible further implications for speech, language, and learning delay as well as subsequent behavioral concerns. Otitis media accounted for 24.5 million doctor's visits in 1990 and is the most common reason for emergency visits among children.

In this case, a 4-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor's office, having been previously diagnosed by the pediatrician and ENT physician with bilateral hearing loss, fluid build-up in the middle ears, swollen adenoids, and swollen nasal tissue. The boy's parents also mentioned he was diagnosed with expressive speech delay and developmental delay associated with behavioral issues. The boy also seemed more immature than children his age and was behind with his language ability for his age.

A chiropractic examination was performed on the boy and restriction was noted in the upper cervical (neck) spine. It was determined that subluxations were present in the boy's spine. These subluxations created interference with the boy's nervous system therefore decreasing his ability to function normally and be healthy.

Care was initiated with a series of specific chiropractic adjustments to correct the subluxations. The study reports that after 11 chiropractic visits the boy had a medical examination to test his hearing. The results of that test revealed that his hearing had improved and he was within normal limits.  By the 24th visit another medical examination was performed and the boy's hearing was completely normal. Additionally it was reported that the boy also showed improvements with speech development and behavior.

This case also documents that the boy showed improvement in his language skill until he was on level with other children his age. It was also reported that his ability to interact with others and in school had also improved to appropriate levels.

In their conclusion the authors noted, "It is hypothesized that chiropractic care may increase overall immune function not limited to those with the conditions presented in this case report but also in the general pediatric population. Not only can this help to reduce sickness, but has great implications for prevention and to dramatically lower health care costs since otitis media is the number one complaint among pediatrics."

Resolution of Cluster Headaches with Chiropractic - A Case Report

A case study published in the February 9, 2011, issue of the scientific periodical, the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research documented the case of a woman who was suffering from cluster headaches and was helped with chiropractic.  Cluster headaches are one of the most painful types of headaches and get their name because they occur in cyclical patterns or clusters.

The authors of the study noted that headaches are one of the most common complaints presented for medical treatment leading to 18 million doctor visits per year. They also report that according to the National Center for Health Statistics, headaches cause an estimated 5.5 million days of activity restrictions per year in the United States which leads to $61.2 billion per year in restricted activity costs and medical expenses.

In this case, a 47-year-old woman came to the chiropractor with a history of severe headaches over the past two years. The study notes that her headaches were right sided, behind her right eye, lasting fifteen to forty-five minutes and occurring five to eight times per day.

According to this case study, she was originally misdiagnosed with migraine headaches. Standard medical treatment for migraine headaches was initiated which consisted of Imitrix, Maxalt, and oxygen. She got only some minor relief from her headaches with these treatments but after six weeks of non-retractable pain, she was later diagnosed with cluster headaches.

The authors of the study reported that chiropractors see nearly 38 million patients per year with headache complaints. Out of desperation, the woman in this case went to a chiropractor to see if she could be helped.  A chiropractic examination was performed and a determination was made that vertebral subluxations were present.  A course of specific chiropractic adjustments was initiated.

After the woman's first chiropractic adjustment, and in consultation with her medical physician, her medication was reduced. Additionally, she reported that she was sleeping better and felt more relaxed. She reported that after the initiation of her chiropractic care, she experienced a significant decrease in the severity of her headache episodes.

Within five months of beginning chiropractic care, the woman was able to discontinue the use of all medication and her headaches had resolved completely. The study authors wrote, "Currently, she reports being headache and drug free, and reports an increase in the quality of her life. She received a job promotion and is now attending college."

Improvement from Chiropractic in a Boy with Neurofibromatosis and Asthma: A Case Study

A study published in the Journal Pediatric, Maternal and Family Health on January 13, 2011, documented the case of a boy with Neurofibromatosis Type I, asthma and ear infections who was helped by chiropractic care.

Neurofibromatosis is also known as von Recklinghausen disease. It is a genetically-inherited disorder, but can occur from random mutations in which the nerve tissue grows tumors.  In most cases, symptoms of NF1 are mild, and individuals live normal and productive lives. In some cases, however, neurofibromatosis can be severely debilitating and may cause cosmetic and psychological issues.

In this case, a 3-year-old boy who was previously diagnosed with neurofibromatosis was brought to a chiropractor. From an early age, he suffered from infections. At the age of 18 months he began chemotherapy for tumor growths on his optic nerve. To compound his problems, it was at this time that he began to suffer from allergy induced asthma. The study also noted that once the chemotherapy regime was complete the asthma began to worsen which required visits to the emergency department at least two times per month. The boy was placed on strong asthma medicine which caused severe reactions. According to this case study, the boy's mother also stated there were times when she felt she did not know her son because he became "wild" from the asthma drugs.

A chiropractic examination was performed on the boy and subluxations were determined to be present. Based upon the examination, a course of specific chiropractic adjustments was initiated. Care began at the rate of 2 to 3 adjustments per week. The study documents that within one month after starting care, the asthmatic attacks resolved and there was no need for any more medications. Within three months, the boy's mother reported that her son had only one attack in which he needed to use the rescue inhaler.

The authors of the study also noted that the boy's mother believed chiropractic care improved her son's overall immune function as well as his asthma as he demonstrated overall improvement in his health.

Creative Thinking following Chiropractic Adjustment

The above headline came from a February 4, 2011, article on the site ScoopHealth.net. The article is reporting on research published in issue 40 of the Chiropractic Journal of Australia showing that a single chiropractic adjustment enhanced creative thinking.

This pilot study checked the creative responses of ten people after a single chiropractic adjustment.  In this study the participants were initially given an "alternate uses test" to have a standard to be judged against. Dr. Louise Hockley, BSc., a Wellington-based chiropractor , explained how the test works by saying,  "The procedure for the alternative uses test is to write down as many uses for an object as possible during a ten minute period." Dr. Hockley continued, "For example, naming all the different ways you could use a newspaper was one of the questions used, as was naming all the different ways you could use a chair, followed by naming all the different ways you can use a shoe."

Participants were initially tested, then each subject was assessed for subluxation. The article reports that a subluxation is a complex of functional and/or structural and/or pathological articular changes that compromise neural integrity and may influence organ system function and general health.  Based upon the chiropractic analysis and the conclusion that a subluxation was present, participants were given a single chiropractic adjustment.

Between two and eight days after the chiropractic adjustment, each subject performed the alternate uses test again using a different version of the test. The results were then compared to their earlier test to see if there was any change in how they performed. The results showed that six of the ten subjects experienced a post-adjustment improvement in their performance on the alternate uses test. Seven of the subjects showed new directions in a real-world creative task, and six participants showed renewed energy towards a creative project already planned.

Dr. Hockley commented on the results by saying, "Taken as a whole, the results indicated improvement in real world creative tasks during the two to eight day period after the adjustment, which is very exciting."  Dr. Hockley related, "Naturally, due to the small size of the study, these conclusions must be considered preliminary, pending verification by future studies.