Posted on 11/23/2002 2:53:59 PM PST by krodriguesdc
Spinal Manipulation May Benefit Asthma Patients
FROM: Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER)
Patients afflicted with asthma may benefit from spinal manipulation in terms of symptoms, immunological capacity, and endocrine effects, an audience was told on October 5 at the 9th International Conference on Spinal Manipulation in Toronto. The investigative team, headed by Ray Hayek, Ph.D., has been conducting a trial at 16 treatment centers in Australia involving 420 patients with an average age of 46 in an effort to find out what effects spinal manipulation has on symptoms, depression and anxiety, general health status, and the levels of immunity as reflected by the concentrations of both an immunoglobulin (IgA) and an immunosuppressant (cortisol). This investigation draws from several references in the scientific literature which suggest that different forms of manual therapy (including massage) improve the symptomatology and lower cortisol levels in asthma patients.
Dr. Hayek reported that only the patient group which underwent spinal manipulation (by any of four commonly used manipulative treatment protocols) displayed significant improvement in asthma symptoms and depression and anxiety scores. Simply experiencing structured interviews at the treatment centers or being monitored at home did not yield these improvements. In addition, patients actually undergoing spinal manipulation displayed dramatic increases of IgA and decreases of cortisol through the posttreatment period, suggesting that there were physiological consequences to their manipulative treatments reflecting increased immunological capacities which would be expected to ward off subsequent asthmatic attacks.
These biochemical changes not only suggest that the effects of spinal manipulation are more far-reaching than commonly believed, but that they may be more long-term as well. The gain in immunological capacity achieved with the simultaneous loss of the immunosuppressant cortisol and the increase of the immunoglobulin IgA following spinal manipulation would be expected to reduce the incidence and severity of pathogenic invasion of the airways. There would be less of a risk under these circumstances of compounding the symptoms of asthma.
The immunosuppressing mechanism of glucocorticoids is believed to occur by their reducing the permeability of capillaries, decreasing the migration of white blood cells in inflamed areas, suppressing the release of interleukins, and inhibiting the production of proteolytic enzymes by stabilizing the lysosomal membranes which release them.
This followed contacts that the Director of Research at FCER was able to make with the Australian research community in 1995, taking into consideration the expertise of the investigative team as well as the fact that Australia's 2 million asthma sufferers have given the Island Continent the dubious distinction of being the asthma capital of the world...
they do not have unstable joints...
this is an old wive's tale to the max!
It is NOT hogwash! That's pure denial of the evidence.
LOL! Talk about denial of evidence, the model for the Chiropractic adjustment has been established through scientific research for many years. Let me see if I can explain.
Somatic dysfunction through injury, repetitive micro trauma, postural distortions etc. developes restriction in mobility of the spine which in time produces autonomic, visceral, and immunologic changes by pain-related sensory neurons and their reflexes.
These nociceptors then produce muscular guarding reactions and causes abnormal musculoskeletal position as well as abnormal range of motion.
Then local inflammatory responses and autonomic reflexes further reinforce nociceptor activity, maintaining this restriction.
When the body maintains these muscles, joints, and related tissues in an abnormal guarding position then changes in the connective tissues will occur, solidifying the abnormal position.
Stretching these tissues into a normal range of motion through the Chiropractic adjustment will restimulate the nociceptor and thus breakup the abnormal reflexes and establish normal range of motion to the joint. The patient often experiences an immediate decrease of pain.
I'll always have work as long chiropractors continue to practice.
The Chiropractic profession was buit on the failures of the established Medical profession.
Perhaps your assumption is false. Most Chiropractors I know would treat their Asthma patients on Sunday. Your ad hominin attack and liberal name calling just shows why people shouldn't listen to you.
Look when it comes to back pain, and even other joint and muscle problems as the RELATE to back trouble, chiropracters rock.
Ok, there's a positive statement. Maybe there is some hope.
Asthma has NOTHING to do with verterbrae alignment.
The poster of this thread was pointing to research that may or may not shed some light on your statement. Did you read it.
Prayer meetings will do asthamtics more good than a chiropractor... unless they also have back troubles, but it still won't help their asthma.
Prayer meetings would probably do most medical patients more good.
Oh and folks, Kevin Rodriques DC is a chiropractor, this is just an advertisement for his profession.
Where does this come from? He was posting about research. It is others who have attacked him and his profession that he is defending.
they have been trying for over 100 years to discredit chiropractic and to no avail...
people go because it works!
Crelin (sp) et al was a resaercher out of Yale who vowed to put the quacks out of business by fudging his research on cadaveric...
this was later found out and his original memo to his colleagues sating his plan was made public for all to see...
you are correct here...
research has shown that chiropractic is more beneficial than muscle relaxers or traditional medical care when it comes to back pain...
but now research is beginning to show that chiropractic is also beneficial for more than just back pain...
you seem really sure that chiropractic is for back pain and back pain only...
As do we all, Kevin.
time and research will tell who's right and who's wrong!
agreed?
I used to do consulting work for the major insurance companies and HMOs.
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