CHIROPRACTIC CARE OFFERS RELIEF FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic auto-immune disease where the body’s immune system

attacks different regions of the body. This disease is characterized by chronic inflammation that

destroys joints, tissues and organs over a period of time. A recent study published in the Annals

of Vertebral Subluxation Research describes how specific chiropractic adjustments and rehab

exercises demonstrated outstanding results in a woman with long-term rheumatoid arthritis.

A 54-year-old woman went to see a chiropractor after having been diagnosed seven years prior

with rheumatoid arthritis. Her chief complaint was severe bilateral polyarthralgia, especially in

the hands and fingers. The patient also had marked swelling in her hands, fingers, knees, toes

and feet. The patient exhibited difficulties with weight bearing, ambulation, and had recurrent

stiffness every morning. The patient was taking Methotrexate and Prednisone daily to manage

her symptoms. She described her pain as a constant nine on a 1-10 scale of severity

The patient was evaluated using various assessment tools including posture evaluation, surface

electromyography and x-ray imaging. Subluxation was found throughout the spine, especially in

the upper cervical region.

Subluxation is the term for misalignments of the spine that cause irritation of nerve pathways,

affecting organ systems of the body. Birth trauma, falls, whiplash and poor posture are known to

cause subluxation patterns to develop in the body. This sort of physical nerve stress leads to

altered measures of immune function and increased susceptibility to a number of diseases.

Wellness based chiropractors give a detailed analysis of the spine to locate areas of vertebral

subluxation. Specific corrective adjustments are given to reduce the subluxation and restore

normal function to the nervous system. A group of researchers found that when a thoracic

adjustment was applied to a subluxated area, the white blood cell count collected rose

significantly. Many studies have confirmed that specific adjustments of the upper cervical spine

and improvements in posture have a major effect on normalizing immune function.

This patient was analyzed and given an appropriate full-spine adjustment each visit for a total of

36 visits in four months. The patient also did rehabilitative exercises such as wobble board and

repetitive traction to improve soft tissue function and restore core strength and spinal curvatures

After receiving four months of corrective chiropractic care, the patient’s pain scale went from

9/10 to a 1/10. She no longer was taking the Methotrexate or Prednisone to manage her

symptoms. The patient was now able to walk up and down the stairs, dance and exercise

without pain. Post-treatment testing revealed significant changes in posture and cervical

curvature as noted on x-ray analysis. She also had marked improvements on her surface

electromyography scan.

Hopefully, this study will shine a light on the impact of subluxation correction on healthy

immunological control. More research dollars should be spent on inexpensive, low risk, non-

invasive modalities such as chiropractic care for prevention and treatment of chronic

inflammatory conditions.

Sources for this article include:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmedhealth/PMH0001467/

http://www.naturalnews.com/031206_chiropractic_immunity.html

http://vertebralsubluxation.sharepoint.com/Pages/2012_1229_ra.aspx

http://www.naturalnews.com/030956_posture_health.html

http://www.naturalnews.com

CHIROPRACTIC CARE KEEPS THE PROFESSIONAL ATHLETES AND IT CAN HELP YOU, TOO!

The Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care, spotlights recent media coverage of Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg’s reliance on chiropractic care as a primary source of treatment for pain relief. According to experts at the F4CP, a growing number of professional athletic teams utilize chiropractic care to maximize overall health and maintain peak performance. (Source: Business Wire, Carmichael, CA www.businesswire.com)

If Chiropractic care can help keep the pros at the top of their game, it can certainly work for you, too! Whether you’re a high school or college athlete, or maybe just a summer golfer or softball player, Chiropractic care can help you maximize your performance and feel great, too! Give us a call or stop in for a free consultation. We’d love to tell you about the positive effects of Chiropractic care!