How many people suffering, on drugs, facing a life of limitation could be helped by chiropractic care? Probably most of them.
Migraine and hypnic headaches
A 59-year-old woman suffered from chronic migraines and hypnic headaches (headaches that wake people from sleep) along with nausea and skin rashes. Migraine has a global prevalence of 10% and is the seventh leading cause of time spent disabled. Hypnic headaches are less common.
The patient’s migraines began 15 years prior and significantly affected her quality of life. During that time, her care consisted of RelpaxT, a prescription drug, massage and TylenolT. Her headaches continued unabated. She also recalled that her mother had migraines that began around her menopause.
Chiropractic care of two visits a week for 3 months and then once per week for 6 weeks resulted in resolution of her headaches as well as additional health benefits. (1)
Torticollis, cranial distortion and difficulty feeding
A 13-day-old boy and his twin sister were brought in for chiropractic evaluation and possible care. The boy had torticollis, difficulty latching to his mother’s left breast and cranial distortion. The parents reported that the baby was very gassy and seemed uncomfortable daily. The pediatrician could offer no options.
The parents reported that the boy was in the head down position for most of his time in utero with the weight of his sister on top of him.
After analysis for subluxations of his spine and skull, the boy was adjusted while he was lying on a pillow on his back or on his mother’s chest while she was lying on her back on the chiropractic table.
The child had seven visits over 6 weeks with continued improvements. He was able to latch onto both breasts, the gassiness had decreased and the torticollis had resolved. Improvements were noticed by his third appointment. (2)
Tic douloureux
Trigeminal neuralgia, also known as “tic douloureux,” is a chronic nerve disorder characterized by intense, persistent and often debilitating shooting sensations of pain in the face. The pain is so intense people have killed themselves and for that reason it is sometimes called the “suicide disease.”
A 62-year-old woman came to a chiropractic clinic with a chief complaint of chronic right-sided facial pain of 2 years’ duration which she said felt like stabbing and throbbing, “like a bunch of pitch forks.”
She had experienced three separate automobile accidents over the past 27 years but had no residual symptoms. The pain began four months after she had had a dental surgical procedure, either a filling or root canal on a wisdom tooth on the right side of her face. Over the course of two years, numerous prescription drugs and alternative supplements had been prescribed by multiple doctors and specialists. She had spent over $9,000 in personal funds seeking relief.
Over the course of six months, the patient received 26 chiropractic adjustments. As a result, she experienced significant reductions in frequency and duration of pain. (3)
- Niddery E, Alcantara J. Resolution of chronic migraines and hypnic headaches in a 59-year-old female: a case report & review of the literature. Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research. September 2, 2019:117-126.
- Green S, Alcantara J. Resolution of torticollis, breastfeeding difficulties & cranial distortion in a twin infant undergoing chiropractic care for vertebral subluxation: a case report & review of the literature. Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, Chiropractic. July 10, 2019:78-81.
- Cramer J, Persky A. Reduction of chronic trigeminal neuralgia following upper cervical specific chiropractic care: a case report & review of the literature. Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research. September 9, 2019:56-62.
