Asthma and Spinal Adjustments

Asthma and Spinal Adjustments

In the United States asthma is now an epidemic. This once rare disease causes more time to be lost from school than any other pediatric disorder.

'There are possibly millions of asthmatic children who are destined to a life dependent upon medication; these children may never have the chance to see if chiropractic spinal adjustments can help their asthma and provide them with a better quality of life." – Peter Fysh, D.C. San Jose, California. Dynamic Chiropractic- 25/09/95 pg.16.

An impairment rating analysis of asthmatic children under chiropractic care: Eighty one children under chiropractic care took part in this self-reported asthma related impairment study. The children were assessed before and two months after chiropractic care using an asthma impairment questionnaire.

Significantly lower impairment rating scores (improvement) were reported for 90.1% of subjects 60 days after chiropractic care in comparison to their pre-chiropractic scores. In addition, 30.9% of the children voluntarily decreased their dosage of medication by an average of 66.5% while under chiropractic care.

Twenty four of the patients who reported asthma attacks 30-days prior to the study had significantly decreased attacks by an average of 44.9%.
Six different chiropractic techniques were used by the different chiropractors who participated in this study.
-Graham, RL and Pistolese Ra. Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, Vol.1, No.4, 1997.

Case study: Eight year old female with chronic asthma: The patient had been diagnosed with asthma three years prior to presentation. Beclovent™ and Albyterol™ were used one to three times per day.
After eight chiropractic adjustments over a period of 2 weeks, the mother stated that the child had not used her inhaler for two days, her wheezing had ceased and she could run without gasping.

At the time of the publication of the article, the child had been free of asthmatic attacks for four months without medication.
-Peet JB. Chripractic Pediatrics, 1997.

Asthma in the Pediatric Patient: Case history of Benny, 3 year old who had suffered from bronchial asthma since infancy. On increasing doses of medication, attacks occurred several times a week. Subluxation a C1 and T3-4. Anterior saucering of the spine in the mid-scapular region first described by Pottinger in 1910. After one month of care Benny's asthma resolved. According to the author, 'Benny's case is not an unusual one."
-Fysh, P. Dynamic Chiropractic Sept. 25, 1995 p.16.

Chiropractic response in the pediatric patient with asthma: This paper reviews the correlation between reducing/correcting vertebral subluxations in the asthmatic pediatric patient utilising Chiropractic Biophysics Technique (CBP) and symtomology generally associated with this condition. A further objective will be to determine what areas of vertebral subluxation, if any, are commonly seen in this group. The children used for this study have never received any chiropractic care or manipulative care prior to participating in this study. Seven of the eight patients who completed the study were able to reduce/discontinue medication. All participants showed measurable improvement on radiographs, which correlated with an improvement in asthma symptoms in seven of the eight cases.
This paper also includes an interesting discussion on the innervations of the lungs and its relationship to the vertebral subluxation complex.
-Peet, JB> Marko SK, Piekarczyk W. Chriopractic Pediatrics Vol. 1, No.4 1995.

Treatment protocols for the chiropractic care of common pediatric conditions: otitis media and asthma: This paper's purpose presents the results of a survey of chiropractors enrolled in the first year of a three year postgraduate course in chiropractic pediatrics. The survey sought to establish if consensus existed with respect to the modalities these doctors used to treat two of the most common childhood disorders seen by chiropractors: otitis media and asthma. Thirty-three doctors of chiropractic participated in the survey. 'Of the primary therapeutic modalities employed the by the chiropractor, spinal adjusting was the most commonly used for both asthma and otitis media. Certain areas of the spine were addressed most frequently for each of the two conditions.
-Vallone S and Fallon JM Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol 2, No.1 1997.

Chronic asthma: the side effects of the chiropractic adjustment
Case 1: J.P., 11 year old male.
Medical Condition: Chronic asthma
Medication: Theolair, Alupent
Chiropractic result: Off asthma medication after first visit. Child is now a multidiscipline athlete with aspirations to become an Olympic athlete. Six years later, the child is still free of asthma and medication.
Presenting Vertebral Subluxation: Occiput/C1 with an Atlas ASR
Original Adjustments: Structural manual adjustment of Atlas.

Case 2: F.H., 9 year old male
Medical Condition: Chronic asthma
Medication: Nasalcron
Chiropractic result: Off asthma medication at onset of care. Clear of symptoms since first adjustment eight years prior.
Presenting Vertebral Subluxation: Co/C1 with atlas ASRP
Original Adjustments: Atlas in lateral flexion and rotation supine.
-Arno Burnier, D.C. Chiropractic Pediatrics Vol. 1 No. 4, May 1995.

Chiropractic care in the treatment of asthma: This is the case report of an 18 year old subject with a two year history of asthma and monitored for a five year period. The subject received Palmer Upper cervical Specific technique adjustments.
The result was marked improvement in the subject's health status. The greatest improvements were reported in the weeks following the chiropractic adjustments. This was an unusual case because trauma to the cervical vertebrae coincided with the occurrence of asthma and spinal care was directed to the traumatised segments.
-Killinger LZ. Palmer Research Journal 1995

Treatment of visceral disorders by manipulative therapy: Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were treated with osteopathic manipulation. 92% of the patients stated they were able to walk greater distances, had fewer colds, experienced less coughing, and had less dyspnea than before treatment. 95% of patients with bronchial asthma said they benefited from chiropractic care. Peak flow rate and vital capacity increased after the third treatment. -Miller WD. In: Goldstein M, Ed. The Research Status of Spinal Manipulative Therapy.

Chronic asthma and chiropractic spinal manipulation – a randomised clinical trial: This blinded, randomised study of 31 patinets aged 18-44 who were all on bronchodilators and/or inhaled steroids was conducted at the National University Hospital's Out-patient Clinic in Copenhagen, Denmark. They received either sham or real manipulations. Interestingly, non-specific bronchial hyperactivity (n-Br) improved by 36% and patients rated asthma severity decreased by 34% in both groups. From the abstract: 'The results do not support the hypothesis that chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy is superior to sham spinal manipulation in the management of pharmaceutically controlled chronic asthma in adults when administered twice weekly for 4 weeks."

Dr Koren's comment: These conclusions appear at variance with over a hundred years of clinical observation of chiropractic's effectiveness with asthmatics. Upon study of the paper, we notice a number of weakness: subjects were all adults on medication for years. Medication was continued during the course of spinal adjustment. A total of eight adjustments (2 x week) were performed. So this paper shows that adult asthma sufferers, who are full of meds get as much relief as sham adjustments after eight manipulations. Perhaps the sham manipulations was more manipulation than sham? Perhaps the techniques used was defective or not specific enough for asthmatic sufferers? Further, many asthmatic sufferers in the real world discontinue or decrease their medications under chiropractic care. In this hospital study that was not permitted as part of the protocol. This research was poorly designed and not worthy of the term chiropractic research.
-Nielsen NH< Bronfort G, Bendiz T et al Clinical and Experimental Allergy 1995

Case history of asthmatic child: A four year old female patient reported to the office.
'Since birth she had problems with her respiratory system, clinical diagnosis of asthma. She had shortness of breath, hard and labored breathing, inability to run from shortness of breath… had become reliant on antibodics for constant reparatory infections, had taken lots of steroidal drugs. This conventional drug therapy had not prevented her from spending very Christmas in hospital on a breathing machine."
'A complete chiropractic examination revealed vertebral subluxation of the atlas right, sixth cervical posterior, and right posterior sacrum. Specific chiropractic adjustments were given, patient responded to the care immediately and was able to suspend using the drugs within two weeks. Within two month, she was able to play with her friends with no symptomatology. Her fifth Christmas was the first at home in her life, I wonder if her asthma should have been diagnosed a subluxation. What would have happened to her if over the last two years she had been on steroids rather than chiropractic care?"
-Matthews, NC. Et al, International Chiropractic Pediatric Association Newsletter, 1996.

Management of pediatric asthma and enuresis with probable traumatic etiology: A 34-month-old boy with asthma and enuresis had not responded to medical care. More than 20 emergency hospital visits had taken place for the asthma attacks during a 12 month history. Three chiropractic adjustments were administered over an 11 day period and the asthma symptoms and enuresis ceased for more than eight weeks. The asthma and enuresis reoccurred following a minor fall form a step ladder but disappeared after adjustments. After a two year follow-up, the mother reports no reoccurrences of the asthma or the enuresis.
-Bachman TR, Lantz CA Proceedings of the National Conference of Chiropractic and Pediatrics 1991.