Newsletter Articles
September 2024

• Chronic Episodes of Vomiting and Nausea Helped by Chiropractic
• Chiropractic Helps Infant with Multiple Problems
• Infant with Neurological Problems Who Could Not Lift Head Helped by Chiropractic
• Sciatica, Sleep Issues & Shoulder Pain Helped by Chiropractic

Chronic Episodes of Vomiting and Nausea Helped by Chiropractic

On August 26, 2024, the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of a case study documenting the improvement, under chiropractic care, of a young patient who was suffering with Cyclic Vomiting Syndrome (CVS).

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, "Cyclic vomiting syndrome, or CVS, is a disorder that causes sudden, repeated attacks—called episodes—of severe nausea and vomiting. Episodes can last from a few hours to several days. Episodes alternate with longer periods of no symptoms."

The authors of this study further explain CVS by stating, "Average age of onset is reported to be between 5.2 and 6.9 years. Episodes can be either cyclic with a constant interval or may be associated with various triggers,5 including stressful events, antibiotic use, and travel. Episodes occur on average eight times per year with each episode lasting an average of 20 hours."

In this case, a 6-year-old boy was brought to the chiropractor by a parent. The boy was suffering with chronic vomiting for the past three years. He had been given a medical diagnosis of CVS. His vomiting seems to have been started 4 to 6 weeks after antibiotic use. It was noted that the boy's problems seemed to be occurring every 30 days like clockwork with each episode lasting for four hours with vomiting every 10-20 minutes. The boy had been to multiple medical specialists, had received numerous tests and procedures, and had been prescribed a variety of medications. With all this care, the boy saw no relief and was still suffering.

A chiropractic examination revealed multiple spinal subluxations. With these findings, a series of specific, age-appropriate chiropractic adjustments were started to address the subluxations.

Two days after the boy received his first chiropractic adjustment, the boy's mother reported that her son had a small episode of vomiting that was milder than those in his past. After that one minor incident, the boy did not have any additional episodes of vomiting and continued to be symptom free as reported in a follow-up examination five months later.

The authors of the study also noted that other similar cases had been reported in scientific literature and they recommended a larger study on CVS. "To date, at least three case studies have illustrated complete resolution of symptoms after a single chiropractic adjustment, which provides a basis for a randomized controlled trial to be performed at a later date."

Chiropractic Helps Infant with Multiple Problems

The Asian Pacific Chiropractic Journal published the results of a case study in their third quarter 2024 edition documenting the improvement under chiropractic care of an infant suffering from multiple physical health and developmental issues.

The authors of this study begin by explaining why infants are taken to chiropractors by their parents. "One of the most common reasons for infants to be brought to a Chiropractor is for difficulty with tummy time, low muscle tone, and torticollis. In recent years a new approach to these cases has emerged, now the focus is not limited to the changes in torticollis and poor muscle tone symptoms but also considers improvements in feeding and digestion, posture, developmental delay, and sleep."

In this case, a 12-week-old infant girl was brought to the chiropractor by her mother. The infant girl had a strong dislike to tummy time and would scream and cry when placed on her stomach. She also had difficulty lifting her head and could not push herself up with her arms. She was also suffering with explosive bowel movements as well as random gagging when placed on her back while sleeping. When awake, the infant preferred to be held upright.

The case history noted that although the birth was not difficult, the pregnancy was. The mother experienced significant sickness and was in bed and vomiting every day until she went into labor. During her pregnancy, the mother was hospitalized for IV infusion several times and was on limited food intake for months.

A chiropractic examination of the infant showed that her range of motion was limited, and her head was mis-shaped with a flattening in the right rear area. The examination also showed abnormal primitive reflexes as well as shoulder function. It was determined that multiple areas of subluxations were present in the infant girl's spine.

Chiropractic care appropriate to the infant's size and age was started at the rate of two visits per week. After eight visits, an evaluation showed that the girl had improved significantly with her tummy time ability and function. The girl's family also commented that she was better able to lift her head and was sleeping and feeding better.

Additional improvements included an increase in her range of motion, as well as an improvement in the infant's gagging during sleep. She was no longer having reflux or vomiting from the gagging and was not crying when placed on her tummy. The infant showed improvement in her reflexes and was overall much more relaxed. Her parents also reported that their daughter had caught up to her peers with her developmental milestones.

Infant with Neurological Problems Who Could Not Lift Head Helped by Chiropractic

The third quarter of 2024 issue of the Asian Pacific Chiropractic Journal documented a case study showing chiropractic helping an infant who could not lift her head up, retained primitive reflexes, and was behind in developmental benchmarks.

According to the National Library of Medicine, National Center for Biotechnology Information, "Primitive reflexes are involuntary motor responses originating in the brainstem present after birth in early child development that facilitate survival. Several reflexes are important in the assessment of newborns and young infants." Many of these reflexes should disappear within a short time after birth. When certain reflexes remain present longer than normal, it could be an indication of neurological and developmental issues.

In this case, a 15-week-old infant girl was brought to the chiropractor by her parents. They described their infant daughter by saying that she was "not adapting well to life outside the womb." The infant's muscle tone was below normal. She could barely lift her head up and had trouble responding to caregivers. The infant also looked lethargic and did not respond well to stimuli.

The history revealed that the infant was born prematurely at 36 weeks into the pregnancy. After her birth, she favored her head to one side which created issues with tummy time and breast feeding as well as creating a problem with head asymmetry.

A chiropractic examination confirmed the weakness of the muscle tone and reported that the infant was approximately 7 weeks behind on normal developmental milestones. Multiple subluxations were determined to be present that were affecting the child's nervous system. Appropriate to age, size, and weakness, specific chiropractic adjustments were started initially at the rate of three times per week.

The study reports that as care continued and assessments were performed, the parents initially reported that their infant's sleeping pattern and quality had improved. They also noted an improvement in the girl's head shape. The parents also reported an improvement in their daughter's bowel function and noted that she had become much more active.

As chiropractic care continued, the infant girl's parents continued to notice improvements in every area of their daughter's life including posture, strengths and motor skills. At one point, the study records that they parents mentioned that they were "absolutely blown away by the changes" and could not believe that this was the same child compared to before chiropractic care.

In the discussion portion of this study, the authors gave an overview of this case and the important role of chiropractic care for this baby, "This case illustrates the profound impact of Chiropractic care in supporting the developing nervous systems of infants, even those who are failing to thrive. Here, we have a child whose trajectory could have been completely different. With the lack of responsiveness the patient showed at the start, it is possible that, without Chiropractic care, she may not have been able to adapt and function at her best."

Sciatica, Sleep Issues & Shoulder Pain Helped by Chiropractic

On July 24, 2024, the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published the results of a case study that documented the improvement with chiropractic of a patient suffering with sciatic pain, shoulder pain and sleeping problems. According to the Mayo Clinic website, "Sciatica refers to pain that travels along the path of the sciatic nerve. The sciatic nerve travels from the buttocks and down each leg."

The study begins with the study author pointing out that "Shoulder pain, sleep problems, and sciatica pose significant challenges to daily life, often resulting in disability. While numerous medical treatments are accessible, their outcomes remain inconsistent."

In this case, a 33-year-old man presented himself for chiropractic care in the hope of gaining relief from multiple issues. At that time, the man was suffering with right shoulder pain, sciatica pain down the back of both legs, poor posture, and decreased sleep quality.

His history revealed that he was also having digestive issues and was under an "unbearable" amount of stress. His shoulder pain was constant while standing for extended periods, causing him to slouch resulting in his poor posture. His sciatica pain would occur when he sat or stood for extended periods of time without moving.

A chiropractic examination with spinal x-rays was performed. The results of these showed that vertebral subluxations were present. Based on this finding, specific forms of chiropractic adjustments were started to correct the subluxations.

The results of the care showed that the man improved is all areas. His pains were initially rated on a 1 to 10 scale with 10 being the worst. Initially, he reported that his neck pain was a 4, his mid back at 2, headaches at 6, right shoulder at 6, low back at 7, sciatica on the left side at 5, and sciatica on the right side at 4.

After months of chiropractic care, the man's progress showed that his right shoulder pain was reduced to 0, his neck pain down to 1, headaches at 0, mid back at 1, low back at 0, and left and right-side sciatica at a 0. The study also reported that the man was experiencing better sleep, better digestion, and an overall improvement in his quality of life.

In the study conclusion, the author discusses the advantage of a drugless approach like chiropractic, as compared to medical management for pain. "When determining the most suitable approach for addressing sciatica and shoulder pain, it is imperative for healthcare providers to engage in open dialogue with their patients, especially when contemplating the use of medications. Providing comprehensive information regarding the potential risks and adverse reactions associated with prescribed medications is of utmost importance."