Chiropractic Research Studies
It may surprise you that peer reviewed indexed medical journals have publisehd clinical research that have clearly documented the benefits of chiropractic care. Worker's Compensation studies in Oregon and California for example, conclude that patients get well in half the time at half the cost for the same diagnosis compared to mainstream medical care. Conditions including asthma, back pain, headaches and migraine have also been studied and documented. Blue Ribbon studies around the world including Italy, Canada, New Zealand and Great Britian have documented the safety, financial savings and most importantly, the health benefit and results from using chiropractic care.
Below you will find several research studies. "Conclusions" as shown are verbatim of how they were published by the authors. Full text articles of each title are available immediately for download by clicking the "Full Text" link .
We hope that by providing you this type of information, your confidence in the chirorpactic profession becomes stronger, and that you will use our office as a resouce for both our services and as a source knowledge base.
Asthma
Literature Review
Neurology & Chiropractic
Ear Infections
Worker’s Compensation Studies
Headaches & Migraines
Safety Studies
Herniated DiscCost Effectiveness
Low Back Pain
Sports Injuries
Chronic pediatric asthma and chiropractic spinal manipulation: a prospective clinical series and randomized clinical pilot study
Gert Bronfort, DC, PhD, Roni L. Evans, DC, Paul Kubic, MD, PhD, Patty Filkin
Conclusion: After 3 months of combining chiropractic SMT with optimal medical management for pediatric asthma, the children rated their quality of life substantially higher and their asthma severity substantially lower. These improvements were maintained at the 1-year follow-up assessment. There were no important changes in lung function or hyperresponsiveness at any time. The observed improvements are unlikely as a result of the specific effects of chiropractic SMT alone, but other aspects of the clinical encounter that should not be dismissed readily. Further research is needed to assess which components of the chiropractic encounter are responsible for important improvements in patient-oriented outcomes so that they may be incorporated into the care of all patients with asthma.
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An Impairment Rating Analysis Of Asthmatic Children Under Chiropractic
Care
Robert L. Graham, D.C.Richard A. Pistolese, B.S.
Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research - JVSRVol 1, No. 4. p 1-8
Summary: A self-reported asthma-related impairment study was conducted on 81 children
under chiropractic care. The intent of this study was to quantify self-reported
changes in impairment experienced by the pediatric asthmatic subjects, before and
after a two month period under chiropractic care. Practitioners, representing a
general range of six different approaches to vertebral subluxation correction,
administered a specifically designed asthma impairment questionnaire at the
appropriate intervals.
Subjects were categorized into two groups; 1-10 years and
11-17 years. Parents/guardians completed questionnaires for the younger group,
while the older subjects self-reported their perceptions of impairment.
Significantly lower impairment rating scores (improvement) were reported for 90.1% of
subjects 60 days after chiropractic care when compared to the pre-chiropractic
scores (p < 0.05) with an effect size of 0.96. As well, there were no significant
differences across the age groups based on parent/guardian versus self rated
scores. Girls reported higher (less improvement) before and after care compared
to boys, although significant decreases in impairment ratings were reported for
each gender. This suggested a greater clinical effect for boys which was supported
by effect sizes ranging from 1.2 for boys compared to 0.75 for girls. Additionally,
25 of 81 subjects (30.9%) chose to voluntarily decrease their dosage of medication
by an average of 66.5% while under chiropractic care. Moreover, information
collected from patients revealed that among 24 patients reporting asthma
"attacks" in the 30 day period prior to the study, the number of "attacks"
decreased significantly by an average of 44.9% (p <.05).
Based on the data obtained in this study, it was concluded that chiropractic care, for correction of
vertebral subluxation, is a safe nonpharmacologic health care approach which may
also be associated with significant decreases in asthma related impairment as well
as a decreased incidence of asthmatic "attacks." The findings suggest that
chiropractic care should be further investigated relative to providing the most
efficacious care management regimen for pediatric asthmatics.
Text Summary
THE 2006 CHIROPRACTIC WHITE PAPERS
Chiropractic Clinical Research: Progress And Recommendations
Mitchell Haas, DC, MA, Gert Bronfort, DC, PhD, and Roni L. Evans, DC, MS
Conclusions: Based on the assessment of the scientific literature and research currently underway, it is evident that
members of the chiropractic research community have made important progress in becoming active players in the clinical research arena. During the past decade, the work of chiropractic researchers has contributed substantially to the amount and quality of the evidence for or against spinal manipulation in the management of low back pain, neck pain, headache, and other conditions. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2006;29:695-706)
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LITERATURE REVIEW:
A Review of Biomechanics of the Central Nervous System—Part III: Spinal Cord Stresses from Postural Loads and Their Neurologic Effects
Deed E. Harrison, DC, Rene Cailliet, MD, Donald D. Harrison, PhD, DC, Stephan J.
Troyanovich, DC, and Sanghak O. Harrison, DC
Conclusion: Four types of postural loads create a variety of stresses and strains in the neural tissue,depending on the exact magnitude and direction of the forces. Transverse loading is the most complex load. The stresses and strains in the neural elements and vascular supply are directly related to the function of the sensory, motor, and autonomic nervous systems. The literature indicates that prolonged loading of the neural tissue may lead to a wide variety of degenerative disorders or symptoms. The most offensive postural loading of the central nervous system and related structures occurs in any procedure or position requiring spinal flexion. Thus flexion disraction,rehabilitation positions,exercises, spinal manipulation, and surgical fusions in any position other than lordosis for the cervical and lumbar spines should be questioned. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1999;22:399-410)
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Reflex Effects of Subluxation: The Autonomic Nervous System
Brian S. Budgell, DC
Conclusion: Recent neuroscience research supports a neurophysiologic rationale for the concept that aberrant stimulation of spinal or paraspinal structures may lead to segmentally organized reflex responses of the autonomic nervous system, which in turn may alter visceral function. (JManipulative Physiol Ther 2000;23:104-6)
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Recurrent Neck Pain And Headaches In Preadolescents Associated With Mechanical Dysfunction Of The Cervical Spine: A Cross sectional observational Study With 131 Students
Sue A. Weber Hellstenius, DC, MSc
Conclusion: In this study, the physical examination findings between preadolescents with neck pain and/or headaches and those who were symptom free differed significantly in one of the parameters measured. Cervical joint dysfunction was a significant finding among those preadolescents complaining of neck pain and/or headache as compared to those who did not. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2009;32:625-634)
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Incidence of Ponticulus Posterior of the Atlas in Migraine and Cervicogenic Headache
Stuart Wight, DC, Neil Osborne, DC, and Alan C. Breen, DC, PhD
Conclusion: In a chiropractic patient population that required cervical x-ray examinations, a significant association
was found between ponticulus posticus and migraine without aura, with an odds ratio of 2.19:1 in favor of this complaint being present with the osseous anomaly. The mechanism for this remains obscure but may be related to ischemic compression of the vertebral artery or by dural tension at the craniocervical junction. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1999;22:15-20)
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Efficacy of Spinal Manipulation for Chronic Headache: A Systematic Review
Gert Bronfort, DC, PhD, Willem J.J. Assendelft, MD, PhD, Roni Evans, DC, Mitchell Haas, DC, and Lex Bouter, PhD
Conclusions: SMT appears to have a better effect than massage for cervicogenic headache. It also appears that SMT has an effect comparable to commonly used first-line prophylactic prescription medications for tension-type headache and migraine headache. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2001;24:
457-66)
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A Randomized Controlled Trial of Chiropractic Spinal Manipulative Therapy for Migraine
Peter J. Tuchin, GradDipChiro, DipOHS, Henry Pollard, GradDipChiro, GradDipAppSc, and Rod Bonello, DC, DO
Conclusion: The results of this study support previous results showing that some people report significant improvement in migraines after chiropractic SMT. A high percentage (>80%) of participants reported stress as a major factor for their migraines. It appears probable that chiropractic care has an effect on the physical conditions related to stress and that in these people the effects of the migraine are reduced. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2000;23:91-5)
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Treatment Of Bipolar, Seizure, And Sleep Disorders And Migraine Headaches Utilizing A Chiropractic Technique
Erin L. Elster, DC
Conclusion: The onset of the symptoms following the patient’s accident, the immediate reduction in symptoms
correlating with the initiation of care, and the complete absence of all symptoms within 7 months of care suggest a link between the patient’s headfirst fall, the upper cervical subluxation, and his neurological conditions. Further investigation into upper cervical trauma as a contributing factor to bipolar disorder, sleep disorder, seizure disorder, and migraine headaches should be pursued. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2004;27:e5)
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The Use And Role Of Sport Chiropractors In The National Football League: A Short Report
John L. Stump, DC, OMD, EdD, and Daniel Redwood, DC
Conclusion: There is significant chiropractic participation in US professional football. Certified athletic trainers see a role for the sport chiropractor in the NFL, primarily as a spinal specialist treating low back and other musculoskeletal injuries. A substantial majority of NFL trainers have developed cooperative relationships with chiropractors, with 77% having referred a player to a chiropractor. Thirty-one percent of NFL teams have a chiropractor officially on staff, and an additional 12% of teams refer players to chiropractors but do not directly retain these chiropractors. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2002;25:000)
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Chiropractic Management of a Professional Hockey Player with Recurrent Shoulder Instability
Chad E. Moreau, DCa and Susan R. Moreau, DC
Conclusion: This case demonstrates the potential benefit of chiropractic management and proprioceptive exercises to decrease the symptoms of recurrent shoulder instability. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2001;24:425-30)
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A Conservative Management Protocol for Calcific Tendinitis of the Shoulder
Paul A. Gimblett, BAppSc (chiro), Jonathan Saville, BAppSc (chiro), and Phillip Ebrall,
BAppSc (chiro)
Conclusion: The result of these studies indicates that the management of calcific tendinitis falls within the scope of chiropractic practice and supports the use of a trial period of conservative management in cases of calcific tendinitis before consideration of surgical treatment. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1999; 22:622-7)
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Literature Review:
Chronic Mechanical Neck Pain In Adults Treated By Manual Therapy: A Systematic Review Of Change Scores In Randomized Clinical Trials
Howard Vernon, DC, PhD, Kim Humphreys, DC, PhD, and Carol Hagino, MBA
Conclusion: There is moderate- to high-quality evidence that subjects with chronic neck pain not due to whiplash
and without arm pain and headaches show clinically important improvements from a course of spinal manipulation or
mobilization at 6, 12, and up to 104 weeks posttreatment. The current evidence does not support a similar level of benefit from massage. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2007;30:215-227)
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Cost-Effectiveness Of Medical And Chiropractic Care For Acute And Chronic Low Back Pain
Mitchell Haas, DC, MA, Rajiv Sharma, PhD, and Miron Stano, PhD
ABSTRACT
Conclusions: Chiropractic care appeared relatively cost-effective for the treatment of chronic LBP. Chiropractic and medical care performed comparably for acute patients. Practice-based clinical outcomes were consistent with systematic reviews of spinal manipulation efficacy: manipulation-based therapy is at least as good as and, in some cases, better than other therapeusis. This evidence can guide physicians, payers, and policy makers in evaluating chiropractic as a treatment option for low back pain. (J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2005;28:555Q563)
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