My lifestyle is the problem, not just a fad diet.

That’s a bold statement.

You might be thinking, “Hey, what gives? I’ve lost 25lbs by eating no carbs, tuna, and boiled eggs!  [As an aside, this is just as an example, this isn’t pointed at any one specific person nor diet.] You can’t tell me that it doesn’t work!” Oh, but I can and the reason why is hidden in the definition of “Fad”.  Fad: an intense and widely shared enthusiasm for something, especially one that isshort-lived and without basis in the object’s qualities”.  

Let’s break it down: short-lived. What happens when we get sick of “no carbs, tuna, and boiled eggs”?  How does our body handle the addition of “regular” foods back on our plate? If our typical or normal eating habits are what got us to the point of looking for a quick-fix-fad-diet, to begin with, they most likely aren’t helping us reach our – dare I say – healthy weight dreams?

Without basis in the object’s qualities. WHAT? Let’s say object = person and quality=characteristic.  We can break it down like this, a fad is not rooted in the same characteristics that a person naturally displays. Still confused? Don’t worry, here’s another way to say it, It is outside of my character. I do not normally eat only tuna and boiled eggs. I normally eat, without consideration for the portion size, pizza, bagels, and macaroni and cheese (As an aside, this is just as an example, this isn’t pointed at any one specific person, again.) The stick-to-it-self-control-willing-to-exercise-make-different-food-choices-for-the-long-haul-character required, I just don’t yet have, but I can.

Enter motivational quote, at the right time (end of a year, beginning of a new one), here. Some thin women or muscular man sweating for some reason is all the motivation I need to start a Fad diet and a quick exercise routine.

What about a lifestyle change?

Again, you might be thinking, “I hear you, but what does this have to do with Chiropractic and what does a lifestyle change mean?”

It’s important to understand that a lifestyle change is just that, a lifestyle change. It takes a lifetime to create a lifestyle, therefore, it takes time to create a change, please don’t let that stop you. In whatever direction you know your health needs to go, start there. If its portion control with carbohydrates, start slowly decreasing your weekly intake. You could even use an app to help track it. My fitness pal is free. I’m not promoting them specifically, there are plenty to choose from. If you know you need to exercise, add a 15 min. walk in daily. Do small things every day to create a lasting habitual change.

MOST importantly and I MEAN MOST…. Don’t do it without a spine and nervous system that’s fully functioning. Even when you are decreasing your carb intake, it won’t matter if the system in your body that needs to break down your food into nutrition, properly store it, and properly get rid of waste doesn’t work. When you start exercising and strengthening your body, what happens if you strengthen your body in the wrong position? What if that position is affecting your body’s ability to communicate across its nervous system highway? What if that position is why there’s shooting pain down your leg today and affecting your muscle mass tomorrow?  What if you have headaches due to light sensitivity and getting outside to exercise in the first place is a challenge? I dare you to start the New Year off right. I dare you to make the hard choices. I dare you to start “New” not with a resolution to “lose weight” but a resolution to make a lifestyle change… a permanent, life-giving, character building, foundational change. Start with chiropractic and see where it takes you… I’m looking forward to your growth and change, of course, only if you want it.  If you don’t know me, and you’d like to, don’t hesitate to contact the office. 

P.S. The image says three habits to promote a happy and healthy spine. We're here to tell you it works both ways. A healthy body by way of a healthy lifestyle, keeps the spine and nervous system as healthy as it can be. A healthy spine and nervous system, keeps the body as happy and healthy as it can be. 

Copy write: I found that image on a Chiro’s site. Feel free to check it out, but don’t leave us for too long.I googled the definition of Fad, I wouldn’t google the “without basis in the object’s qualities” because it took me down an existential rabbit trail that, well, maybe you’d enjoy, but I didn’t. 

Improvements in Hearing, Speech, Development, and Behavior Following Chiropractic in a 4 Year Old Male

What is changing the outcome of someone's life worth? Can we put a price tag on something like this? The reality is that most people raise their children with the best intentions. When they find their child faces a health crisis, they turn to a system that sends them to multiple appointments and sometimes they find little relief. Unfortunately, the possibility of a cure can't be promised but becomes the carrot dangled in front of a desperate, tired, concerned parent. How many children suffer endlessly with ear infections, nasal congestion, adenoid problems, speech difficulties, developmental delays, and behavioral concerns, statistically, though I don't have the numbers, we can all be certain is more than we'd like. What about a child that suffers from ALL of these health concerns?

Is a cure possible? Can symptoms decrease enough to change their life? Does it have to involve medication? What about chiropractic care?

In 11 visits, chiropractic care was able to address these concerns in a 4 year old. Specifically, the "patient’s re-evaluation with ENT physician revealed resolution of otitis media with effusion, adenoid hypertrophy, nasal congestion, hearing loss and improvement of speech, development, and behavior. Patient had improved intervertebral motion in the upper cervical and upper thoracic spine." 

Though this is simply a case study, the outcomes were simply achieved but changed the complex symptoms and the life of a child tremendously. 

"I thought chiropractic care was just for back and neck pain." Don't worry, we've heard that to. We know better because these are the positive-life changing- benefits of having a healthy spine and nervous system taken care of by a well-trained-well-educated-giving doctor of chiropractic. You can find us here. 

Want to read the case study for yourself? Please, click here.

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Improved Function with Chiropractic care for Children with ADHD

In an article written by Dr. Jeanne Ohm, D.C. it is evident that though ADHD has become one of the most controversial health topics of our time, vitalistic treatment options are available.  Though most people traditionally turn to allopathic medicine Dr. Jeanne writes:

A Different Approach A major underlying difference between mainstream, mechanistic, allopathic medicine and vitalistic, wellness lifestyle care is that mainstream medicine operates in the paradigm of diagnosis and treatment of symptoms, while vitalism concerns itself with whole body function. Allopathic medicine’s focus on symptoms rather than body function can lead to a dangerous, false sense of cure. If symptoms can be changed with a drug, there is no need to look at the causes of those symptoms—and therefore, real healing and wellness cannot be achieved. Lifestyle habits that may have initiated and continue to perpetuate the symptoms are rarely regarded.
The two wellness lifestyle approaches mentioned by Dr. Jennifer Ashton—the nutritional approach and the chiropractic neurobiomechanical approach—are of a vitalistic paradigm. Vitalistic care differs from allopathic medicine in a number of ways.

1. Vitalistic care focuses on naturally supporting and enhancing overall normal body function rather than the chemical alteration of symptoms with drugs.
2. Vitalistic approaches recognize that the body has the inherent wisdom to function normally and that physical, emotional and chemical stressors may overload the body’s ability to do so. The goal is to remove these stressors, allowing the body to return to normal.
3. Symptoms are recognized as body alerts that serve to reveal stress overload. From the vitalistic perspective, it is not important to label the condition, and it is considered counterproductive to silence these symptoms with drugs.
4. Vitalistic care is not the diagnosis or treatment of conditions and diseases. Rather, it is a process of identifying and eliminating the cause of the body’s overload. Only when the overload has been eliminated can a person experience wellness.
5. Finally, the vitalistic approach is encouraged before symptoms even appear. In the case of chiropractic wellness care, spinal checks are encouraged to enhance nerve system function and overall health, with or without symptoms.

ADHD is classified as a neurobiological disorder. To get to the causes of its symptoms, one must address the neurological system. That being said, it is important to understand that there are three major stressors to our nerve system function: physical, emotional and chemical. Chiropractors sometimes call them the Three T’s: traumas, thoughts and toxins. An overload of any of these stressors has a major impact on central nerve system function via spinal misalignment. Most obvious is physical trauma. Jars, jolts and other impacts—even microtraumas such as poor posture and positioning—affect spinal alignment, and therefore directly impact nerve system function. Stressful thoughts and emotions have a direct relationship with body physiology as well. They create an overstimulated nerve system, tensing muscles and misaligning the spine, thereby impairing nerve system function. Toxic overload, in the form of poor foods, drinks and medicines also affects normal body function, with a consequent neuro-muscular reaction, resulting in spinal misalignment and nerve system impairment.

Spinal misalignment causes distress to the central nervous system and can therefore affect normal nerve activity and function. Spinal misalignment also causes a decrease in normal spinal movement, and this, too, has a great impact on nerve system function. This decrease in normal spinal movement affects proprioceptive activity in the nerve system, which is necessary for communication between the spine and brain and allows a variety of neurological functions to be accomplished. If spinal motion is impaired, brain function will also be compromised.
When a child is exhibiting signs of ADHD, it is imperative to find any undue stressors that might be inhibiting nerve system function. Chiropractic care addresses these spinal misalignments. Specific techniques detect and adjust areas of the spine, alleviating stress, restoring normal spinal motion and enhancing nerve system function.

Safe and Effective
Doctors of chiropractic use only gentle and safe techniques when adjusting children. One study done by the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association was recently published in Explore: The Journal of Science and Healing. In more than 14,000 children’s visits to chiropractors, no adverse events were reported. Only a handful of children experienced slight discomfort after the initial adjustment, and this discomfort was quickly resolved in all cases. Almost all participants experienced positive changes in their presenting symptoms. The data revealed some unexpected findings: In addition to the alleviation of the child’s initial presenting symptoms, other improvements were reported by both parents and practitioners. The adjustment resulted in better sleep patterns, enhanced immune system function and better moods and behaviors. The side effects of chiropractic care for these children was better overall function and improved quality of life!
Modern living imposes numerous stress overloads, and as parents, we are witnessing an increased onslaught of physical, emotional and chemical stressors to our families’ well-being. Fortunately, as a society we are becoming more aware of these stressors and are adjusting our lifestyles to decrease their effects. The hope for our future lies in addressing the elimination of these stressors—this being a complete overhaul in all aspects of our modern society. Until then, family wellness is dependent upon two factors: selective lifestyle habits that decrease our exposure to these stressors, and informed choices in healthcare that naturally and safely support our inherent ability to counteract them. Chiropractic family wellness care is one vital step toward enhancing our innate well-being.

You can read more here.

Chiropractic Care Extinguishes Primitive Reflexes

Primitive reflexes assist with survival through immediate responses to environmental stimuli.  When these reflexes do not morph into postural reflexes by six months to one year of age, then this demonstrates an immaturity of the central nervous system (CNS).
The current study involved eight case studies of patients from a chiropractic university clinic and/or private practice.  Every child in each case study had three things in common: 1) diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental issue prior to coming in for chiropractic care; 2) each child received chiropractic care; and 3) each child was given primitive reflex extinguishing exercises.
The first case study involved a 6-year-old male with an auditory processing disorder.  The student intern (3^rd author) observed that the patient had retained multiple primitive reflexes.  Besides chiropractic adjustments, the patient was given cross crawl integration exercises and primitive reflex exercises.  After three months of care, the patient demonstrated signs of independence, significant improvements in coordination, and increased self-confidence. 
The second case involved an 11-year-old female with ADHD.  The patient exhibited several persistent primitive reflexes.  The student intern (2^nd author) performed chiropractic adjustments on the patient and gave the patient primitive reflex exercises to do.  Once the patient began chiropractic care, her social interaction and emotional state improved.  Around visit #23, the patient’s parents reported that she was being selected to test for the honors program at her school.
The third case study involved a 13-month-old female with developmental delays in crawling and walking.  The student intern (5^th author) observed that the patient retained primitive reflexes.  The patient’s mother was instructed on cross-crawl exercises and brushing exercises for her.  After four adjustments, she was crawling normally and had taken four unassisted steps.
 The fourth case study involved a 2-year-old male with Cerebral Palsy.   The patient was not able to walk or talk, still wearing diapers, and did not use his hands.  The student intern (4^th author) observed that the patient had several primitive reflexes.  He received 31 adjustments over a seven-month period and his parents performed the reflex extinguishing exercises.  The patient reported the following improvements: he took things from his hand to his mouth, performed a modified commando crawl, made eye contact when he heard his name called, and started mumbling vocal sounds and said, “Hi.”
The fifth and sixth case studies involved two sisters, ages two and four, with anxiety and speech delays.  The youngest was always upset and disrupting the household, while the older sister had serious speech and communication delays that affected her socialization at pre-school and daycare. The sisters both had retained primitive reflexes and had diets with high amounts of diary.  The first author instructed the patient’s parents on brushing and remediation exercises and to eliminate all dairy products.  After receiving chiropractic care for eight months, the younger sister’s anxiety had been significantly reduced, enough for her to attend daycare, while the older sister no longer needed speech therapy and was admitted into a prestigious preschool program.
The seventh case study involved a 6-year-old girl who had reading issues and a history of multiple concussions.  The patient had a two-year history of blacking out, even with small traumas like falling backward on her bed.  She also had ATNR (asymmetrical tonic neck reflex) and eye tracking issues that has led to her moderate reading issues.  The first author gave the patient reflex and eye exercises.  After receiving chiropractic care for one year, she did not have any black outs and her reading skills had significantly improved.
The eighth and final case study involved a 7-year-old boy with ADHD.  The first author observed that the patient had a few primitive reflexes.  He was given remediation and brushing exercises.  After 30 adjustments over a 6-month period, the patient was no longer given negative comments on his report card, had all A’s, and his teachers no longer recommended Ritalin to his parents.  Overall, the combination of pediatric chiropractic care and extinguishing primitive reflexes may be beneficial to children with neurological issues. More research is warranted.

MLA Citation: Rubin, Drew, Brown, Samantha, Landhi, Eric, Cooper, Shamyra, and Bermudez Hernandez, Thais.  “Combining Chiropractic Care with Extinguishing of Primitive Reflexes: A Case Series of 8 Children.”  Journal of Pediatric, Maternal, & Family Health.  2016.2 (2016): 57-60.

This information and more can be found at: http://icpa4kids.org/Chiropractic-Research/chiropractic-care-extinguishes-primitive-reflexes.html

Reduction of Labor and Delivery Time Due to Chiropractic Care

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a case study on April 3, 2017, documenting the case of a woman who experienced a shorter and easier birth due to chiropractic care. This improvement was compared to her first pregnancy and delivery where she did not receive any chiropractic care.

The study begins by noting that chiropractic care has been involved in the care of pregnant women since the early days of the profession over a century ago. The authors note that over 76% of practicing chiropractors report that the care of pregnant women is a part of their practices. This care is rendered for both musculoskeletal issues related to pregnancy as well as care for overall wellness during pregnancy.

In this study, a 28-year-old woman went to the chiropractor for evaluation and possible care. She sought chiropractic for a pain in her tailbone area as well as for wellness care. The woman believed that her pelvis had shifted due to her first pregnancy. She reported that after the delivery of her firstborn, she experienced pain and discomfort at her tailbone any time she sat on a hard surface. The woman reported that her first pregnancy went well, but that her delivery was very long and difficult. This was one of the factors in her desire to receive chiropractic care in anticipation of her second pregnancy.

This information and more can be found here: https://www.georgiachiropractic.com/article/2998.html

What is Text Neck?

Your head weighs 8-10 lbs. Tilting it forward by only 15 degrees can put 27 pounds of pressure on your spine. Depending on hour far you lean over, poor posture creates up to 60 lbs of additional pressure.  Increasing pressure on your spine, especially in the upper cervical spine can affect respiration, temperature regulation, hormone regulation, just to name a few. Take a moment to look at the graphics... What are your thoughts?

Could your smart phone be a burden to your spine?

What does a postural change mean in the spine? Are you de-evolving?

What does this have to do with me? Well... experiencing mood changes, decreased immunity (it takes me forever to beat a cold), digestive changes, sleep difficulties, heart rate function, etc...

There's a solution. Other than decreasing your own postural stress, check out upper cervical chiropractic care. It could save and change your life.

http://www.uppercervicalspartanburg.com/

Reversed Neck Curve and Lower Back Corrected with Chiropractic

A case report study published on November 21, 2011 in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research documents the improvement of a person who was suffering with lower back pain and had a reversal of their neck curve.

The authors of the study start by noting that lower back pain is one of the most common conditions today with between six and twelve percent of the population suffering from this problem. They also report that medical care has not found a solution for this issue in spite of the fact that there has been a 629% increase in medical spending on lower back care.

The authors point out that chiropractic has consistently been shown to be effective in helping people with lower back pain. They also report that other studies have shown that abnormal curvatures of the spine have been linked to a variety of health related problems, including back pain. In this case the authors show a correlation between the two.

In this case a 41-year-old woman went to a chiropractor with lower back pain that she had been suffering from for two years. It had started when a chair she was sitting in gave way and she fell on her back. She had gone to multiple doctors including chiropractors and had not gotten relief. Her MRI showed problems with the vertebrae and discs in the lower back.

A motion x-ray (video fluoroscopy) was also done and showed abnormal spinal motion in both her lower back and her neck. X-rays also revealed a reversal of the neck, which should have a bending curve forward when viewed from the side on x-ray. Based on the x-rays and an examination, it was determined that spinal subluxations were present in her lower back and neck. A series of specific adjustments were initiated.

The case study reports that by the 11th visit the patient was completely pain free in her lower back and her leg, with only minimal pain still in her hip. After 6 weeks of care a follow-up set of x-rays were taken to monitor the progress. What was noticed was that the curve in the neck had gone from a reversal, to a normal curve during the course of care. This, coupled with the fact that the woman was feeling much better led the researchers to the conclusion that the neck was a large contributing factor in this person’s lower back pain.

In their conclusion, the authors noted that the structure of a neck curvature can have a profound effect on lower back issues. They state, "Correcting the abnormal structure within the cervical spine can alleviate most symptoms associated with LBP."

Resolution of Frozen Shoulder with Chiropractic Care!

From the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, December 3, 2015, comes a study documenting the resolution of a case of frozen shoulder following chiropractic care. The study authors point out that shoulder problems are common with up to 67% of the population experiencing some type of shoulder issue over a lifetime.

The study reports that common medical treatment usually consists of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and/or analgesic drugs in combination with activity modification, manual therapy, and/or physical therapy. If this type of care is ineffective, they report that injection with local anesthetics and corticosteroids are considered.

This case involved a 51-year-old man who sought chiropractic care due to suffering from right shoulder pain and restricted motion. His shoulder pain was of short origin having started only 2 days earlier. He could not move his arm more than 90 degrees due to the pain, and he was having a pinching pain in his lower neck on the opposite side. He rated his pain as 9 out of 10, with 10 being extreme.

After examining the shoulder and neck area, the chiropractor determined that subluxation was present and offered the patient chiropractic care to for correction of subluxation. The patient received a specific neck adjustment and noticed a positive result immediately. The man reported that just seconds after his adjustment, his pain dropped to just 3 out of 10. In addition, he was able to move his shoulder much more than before the adjustment. All this occurred even though no treatment was rendered to the man's shoulder.

By the second visit, the man's shoulder had regained even more movement and his pain had further reduced to only 2 out of 10. On a two week follow up, the patient had reported regaining full shoulder range of motion along with being pain free. As a result of the outcome of his care, the man elected to continue chiropractic on a wellness basis.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, "This case report provides supporting evidence that upper cervical (upper neck) adjustments may benefit patients with sudden insidious shoulder pain and limited range of motion."

Chiropractic care for Neck Pain and Neck pain associated with dizziness!

A study published in the January 7, 2013 issue of the journal Chiropractic & Manual Therapies shows that people with neck pain and those with both neck pain and associated dizziness respond equally as well to chiropractic care. The study was designed to see if the added factor of dizziness created a change in the response to chiropractic care.

In this study the authors describe the reason for the study by stating, "The symptom dizziness is common in patients with chronic whiplash related disorders. However, little is known about dizziness in neck pain patients who have not suffered whiplash." The authors also wanted to look at any gender differences with the patients in this study to see if gender played a part in the outcome of care.

The study was done with the cooperation of the Swiss Association for Chiropractic. The study notes that consecutive new patients over the age of 18 with neck pain of any duration who had not undergone chiropractic or manual therapy in the prior 3 months were recruited from 81 different chiropractor's offices who were members of the Swiss Association for Chiropractic. A total of 405 patients in Switzerland, who suffered with neck pain and who had consented to be part of the Chiropractic Outcome Study were included.

Researchers conducted telephone interviews at 1, 3 and 6 months after the initiation of chiropractic care to document the patients' progress. A seven point scale ranging from 'much better', 'better', 'slightly better', 'no change', 'slightly worse', 'worse', and 'much worse' was used to track the results. From the total number of patients, 177 (44%) reported neck pain with related dizziness while 228 reported that they had neck pain without dizziness. A significantly larger number of the patients with dizziness were women. As expected the patients with dizziness suffered more severe pain as well as other complaints.

The study results showed that after only the first month of care 72% of the patients with neck pain and dizziness showed improvement in their neck pain, while 73% of those with only neck pain had improved. Additionally, half (50%) of those with dizziness showed improvement in their dizziness in this same one month time frame.

After 3 months of care 81% of all patients, with neck pain only or with dizziness, showed improvement in both the neck pain and their dizziness. After six months the results remained almost the same being within 2 percentage points for any of the groups and all of the complaints.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, "Although neck pain patients with dizziness undergoing chiropractic treatment reported significantly higher pain and disability scores at baseline (beginning of study) compared to neck pain patients without dizziness, there were no significant differences in any outcome measures between the two groups at 6 months after start of treatment." In other words, the participants in this study all got good results regardless of the presence or lack of dizziness with their neck pain.

Check out our website for more info: http://www.berardischiro.com/article/2405.html

About Upper Cervical Care!

Upper cervical care is a practice specialty beyond general chiropractic care. After doctors complete their formal education and training as a chiropractor, they continue their education by studying the upper cervical spine in-depth. These post-doctorate courses give doctors advanced training specific to upper cervical spine care in human anatomy, biomechanics, radiology and neurology. Because of this extensive training, less than one thousand doctors are certified to practice upper cervical care.

Unlike traditional medicine, upper cervical care protocol aims to correct mis

alignment, so the body has time to recover and heal itself. We believe that rather than treating an injury or illness with prescription drugs that mask pain or surgery to eliminate interference, better results are achieved by emphasizing prevention and optimal health.

The main difference between upper cervical care and general chiropractic treatment is that upper cervical care does not rely on drugs, therapeutic sessions, or orthotics to address personal injury pain or chronic health conditions.

A NATION PLAGUED WITH CHRONIC HEALTH CONDITIONS

In the United States today, we face an epidemic of chronic health conditions - from high blood pressure to diabetes. Despite rampant prescription of pharmaceuticals to treat these conditions, we continue to see numbers of chronic health cases rise.

Two large factors contribute to this trend:

• over-prescription of pharmaceuticals to manage symptoms instead of treating the cause
• lack of preventative health care to catch these conditions before they become a full-blown issue.

Not only does this cost people thousands of dollars in doctor’s visits and prescriptions, but many of the pharmaceuticals carry their own adverse side effects. More drugs are prescribed to treat these side effects and the cycle continues.

Through prevention, many of these symptoms, conditions, and side effects could be avoided. However, while our current healthcare system is extremely skilled in crisis care, it lacks in preventing the long-term illnesses that plague the population today.

AN ALTERNATIVE SOLUTION TO MANAGING LONG-TERM HEALTH

Many Americans are pushing back on the over-prescription of drugs and are seeking alternative forms of medicine to manage their long-term health. Many looking for more natural ways to care for their health have turned to upper cervical care.

Upper cervical doctors firmly believe in the innate ability of the human body to heal itself. Our bodies naturally know how to function efficiently – and want to do just that – but that requires proper communication between the brain and the rest of the body.

By ensuring there are no roadblocks in the communication pathway, upper cervical care allows the body to function the way it was made to function. Ultimately, this can lead to almost-immediate relief of minor symptoms and improved long-term overall health.

Find out more exactly how upper cervical care uses natural techniques to prevent chronic health conditions promote overall health.

Top 10 Chiropractic Studies and Research

Top 10 Chiropractic Studies and Research

Finding a good chiropractor isn’t only key to correcting the damage caused by years of poor posture or trauma — it’s also important for everyone wanting to take a proactive approach to his or her health care.
I don’t know of any other profession on the planet that can prevent neuromuscular-based disease like chiropractic can. That is why I’ve been personally getting adjusted for over 10 years and recommend my patients, friends and family members to do the same.
But don’t just take my word for it. Here is some of the medical research and studies proving the therapeutic benefits of chiropractic.

1. Sciatica 

The European Spine Journal published the findings from a clinical trial last year uncovering how chiropractic adjustments resulted in a 72 percent success rate in treating sciatica and related symptoms compared to the 20 percent success from physical therapy and 50 percent from corticosteroid injections.
Compared to most medical treatments, few interventions can initiate back pain relief and healing like chiropractic adjustments can!

2. Low Back Pain and Neck Pain

In a study published in the British Medical Journal 2003, 183 patients with neck pain were randomly allocated to manual therapy (spinal mobilization), physiotherapy (mainly exercise) or general practitioner care (counseling, education and drugs) in a 52-week study.
The clinical outcome measures showed that chiropractic adjustments resulted in faster recovery than physiotherapy and general practitioner care. Moreover, total costs of the chiropractic-treated patients were about one-third of the costs of physiotherapy or general practitioner care.
Another study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics found patients with chronic low-back pain treated by chiropractors showed greater improvement and satisfaction at one month than patients treated by family physicians. Satisfaction scores were higher for chiropractic patients.
A higher proportion of chiropractic patients (56 percent vs. 13 percent) reported that their low-back pain was better or much better, whereas nearly one-third of medical patients reported their low-back pain was worse or much worse.x
In a study funded by NIH’s National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine to test the effectiveness of different approaches for treating neck pain, 272 participants were divided into three groups that received either spinal manipulative therapy from a doctor of chiropractic (DC), pain medication (over-the-counter pain relievers, narcotics and muscle relaxants) or exercise recommendations.
After 12 weeks, about 57 percent of those who met with DCs and 48 percent who exercised reported at least a 75 percent reduction in pain, compared to 33 percent of the people in the medication group. After one year, approximately 53 percent of the drug-free groups continued to report at least a 75 percent reduction in pain, compared to just 38 percent pain reduction among those who took medication.

3. Headaches (Tension and Migraine)

Second only to back pain, headaches are one of the most common conditions regularly managed by chiropractors. At the time I conducted this research, over 230 peer-reviewed articles referenced chiropractic’s ability to help cure, prevent and ease the burden of headaches and migraines in people all across the globe!

A group trial found that 22 percent of people who had chiropractic treatment saw the number of attacks drop by 90 percent. In that same study, 49 percent said they had a significant reduction in pain intensity.

Compared to most medical treatments, few interventions can initiate headache relief like chiropractic adjustments can.

4. Colic and Ear Infections

A 2012 study published in Journal of Manipulative Physiological Therapeutics found that chiropractic adjustments greatly reduced colic symptoms.
Although very few randomized control trials have been conducted describing the clinical effects of chiropractic care on children, literally scores of case studies have been documented that describe how children suffering from otitis media (ear infections), acid reflux and colic have experienced complete to near complete resolution after just a few visits.
The reasons for this vary, but one common theme is that nerves controlling the gut and brain are intricately connected to each other and are quite sensitive to neurological insult caused by vertebral subluxations.

5. Neurological Conditions 

Exciting research is currently being conducted via upright MRI showing how upper cervical adjustments affect various brain-based conditions. What we have seen so far is quite remarkable.
Not only are MRI scans revealing that cerebral spinal fluid and blood flow are markedly increased after a chiropractic adjustment, researchers are observing that cerebellar invagination (when the cerebellum drops down below the skull line) is being reversed and brain plaquing (common in multiple sclerosis patients) is disappearing!
Montel Williams, the famous TV host, was interviewed about his experience as a MS patient under chiropractic care. Check it out here to see how it changed his life!

6. Blood Pressure

In 2007, George Bakris, the world expert on hypertension, published a study with a team of researchers in the Human Journal of Hypertension proving that one upper cervical chiropractic adjustment had the same effect as two blood pressure-lowering drugs. Even more fascinating, the effects of just one adjustment lasted more than six months!
Compared to the placebo-treated patients, those who got the real procedure saw an average 14 mm Hg greater drop in systolic blood pressure (the top number in a blood pressure count) and an average 8 mm Hg greater drop in diastolic blood pressure (the bottom blood pressure number).
Other studies have shown similar findings with hypotensive patients, and their low blood pressure was raised to normal levels after chiropractic care. This is exciting because it highlights the body’s ability to create a homeostatic balanced environment once vertebral subluxations are removed.

7. Surgery Prevention

Chiropractic has long been heralded by natural health care providers as a natural method to prevent back surgery.
In fact, the Journal of the American Medical Association just recently published its low back pain guidelines and suggested that people suffering from back pain first try chiropractic before resorting to surgery.

8. Frozen Shoulder

Last year a clinical trial was published describing how patients suffering from the debilitating condition frozen shoulder responded to chiropractic care.
Of the 50 patients: 16 resolved completely; 25 showed 75 percent to 90 percent improvement; eight showed 50 percent to 75 percent improvement; and one showed 0 percent to 50 percent improvement.

9. Scoliosis

Chiropractic adjustments for scoliosis coupled with muscular rehabilitation techniques may help prevent the progression of scoliosis. Organizations like the nonprofit Clear Institute founded by Dr. Dennis Woggon have set out to empower health care professionals with an effective chiropractic system to treat people with scoliosis.
They’ve perfected a model and discovered that it is possible to effectively treat the condition without the use of restrictive braces or dangerous surgeries. In many case studies, participants have seen a 10 percent to 30 percent decrease in their scoliosis curvatures. You can read about some of the cases here.
If you or a family member suffer from scoliosis, I strongly recommend reaching out to a certified Clear Scoliosis Center to see if they can help you!

10. Athletic Performance 

There is a reason why athletes both today and in the past, like Michael Phelps, Jerry Rice and Joe Montana, are under regular chiropractic care. In fact, over 50 percent of NFL teams have a chiropractor on staff.
Because it is so effective at pain-based and pathological conditions, one of the most overlooked aspects of chiropractic care is that it enhances personal and athletic performance. Studies have sown that it:

• Reduces inflammatory cytokines
• Boosts your immune system
• Enhances pulmonary function
• Decreases mental and oxidative stress
• Relieves muscle tension
• And can naturally increase your energy level

Studies have even proved, objectively and subjectively, that chiropractic patients experience “overall increased bodily function,” which includes bowl regularity and mental clarity.
Basically, because it helps place your body in the position where it can heal itself, chiropractic adjustments can free your immune system up to focus on keeping you healthy, which enhances your ability to think, move and perform.


Dr. Josh Axe compiled this data, we think he did a great job. It was originally posted here.