Many people don't realize that Chiropractic care can be SO very affective for pains and musculoskeletal conditions that otherwise would be treated with medications, painful injections, surgeries, or even worse left to believe that they will have to deal with chronic pain for the rest of their lives! Chiropractic is research proven to offer a safe and natural way to greatly reduce or completely resolve the following conditions:
1. ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE
Professional sports teams are always on the forefront of health and wellness. Look at the sidelines of most NFL teams and you'll see a chiropractor along with the medical staff caring for the athletes. Regular chiropractic care relieves muscle tension, reduces inflammation, and boosts energy. Add in some muscle testing from an Applied Kinesiology practitioner (AK) and you've got yourself a winning combo for athletic performance and injury prevention.
2. HEADACHES
Headaches are one of the most common conditions treated by chiropractors. According to pubMed there are currently 272 peer reviewed articles written on chiropractic and headache reduction, wow! In one group trial, 22% of people who received chiropractic care saw the frequency of headaches drop by 90% and in another group 49% said they saw instant significant reduction in pain. And no, chiropractic manipulation does not cause strokes, but that's a post for another day! I'll just leave this, here.
3. BLOOD PRESSURE
This one blows most people's minds. A 2007 study done by a hypertension expert found that ONE upper cervical chiropractic manipulation had the same effect as two blood pressure medications! In addition, the effects of one adjustment lasted up to 6 months. Participants in the study saw an average of 14mmHg drop in systolic pressure, and an average 8mmHg diastolic pressure drop. Pretty awesome.
4. LOW BACK PAIN
It's no secret that chiropractic care is a great go-to for low back pain and the research shows. One study in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT) showed that patients experiencing chronic low back pain who received chiropractic treatments showed greater improvement in one month than patients who saw their family physician. 56% vs 13% reported that their low back pain was much improved, and nearly 1/3 of medical patients reported their pain was much worse.
5. FROZEN SHOULDER
Frozen shoulder is a condition that can be chronic for years and often results in painful injections, surgical procedures, or limited mobility for the rest of ones' life! In 2012 a clinical trial was run on frozen shoulder patients who sought out chiropractic care and out of 50 patients, only 1 saw zero improvement! 16 resolved completely, 25 experienced 75-90% improvement, and 8 experienced 50-75% improvement.
6. SCIATICA
The European Spine Journal published a study showing that chiropractic care resulted in 72% success rate in treating sciatica as opposed to 20% success with physical therapy and 50% with corticosteroid injections.
7. SCOLIOSIS
Did you know that chiropractic care along with rehabilitative exercises can help prevent the progression of scoliosis? In may cases, it is very possible to treat the condition without restrictive braces or surgery. Many case studies have been published on the topic and shown a 10-30% decrease in curvatures with chiropractic manipulation. Check out the Clear Institute and their plethora of information!
8. COLIC + EAR INFECTIONS
This is one of my favorites, as I love working with kids! Chiropractic care can greatly reduce the severity and frequency of common childhood symptoms like colic and ear infections. Many case studies have been published showing a clear connection between chiropractic treatment and reduction in ear infection (otitis media), colic, and acid reflux. A 2012 study in the Journal of Manipulative Physiologic Therapeutics (JMPT) found that chiropractic greatly reduced symptoms of colic.
9. NEUROLOGIC CONDITIONS
Since chiropractic manipulation affects the nervous system, it is no surprise that it helps improve neurologic function and treat neurologic conditions. Current exciting research is underway using MRI to visibly see the effects that cervical chiropractic manipulation has on the nervous system, especially with patients suffering from neurologic conditions, such as multiple sclerosis (MS).
10. SURGERY PREVENTION
Even the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that low back pain sufferers seek out chiropractic care before resorting to surgery! A quick search on pub med will yield over 1000 results in relation to chiropractic and low back pain. Case study upon case study prove that it is a safe and very effective way to prevent painful and often unsuccessful back surgeries.
The evidence is clear, seek out chiropractic care for a gentle, safe, and effective way to treat common conditions!
By Dr. Abby Kramer, DC