Schofield Chiropractic and Massage, Federal Way, WA

Blood Pressure Normalized in Study Group with Chiropractic

Schofield Chiropractic and Massage — Wed, 16 May 2012 16:33:19 +0000

The Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published a study on April 24, 2012 documenting the positive effects chiropractic care has on normalizing blood pressure. This study was unique in that it looked at the effect of chiropractic on a full range of blood pressure situations and not just on the effect chiropractic has on high blood pressure.

Several previous studies have documented that chiropractic care has the effect of lowering blood pressure significantly on test subjects. The author of this study reviewed the prior studies noting that each of them showed significant improvement in patients with hypertension. One such study was done at the Hypertension Center at the University of Chicago Medical Center and published in the March 2, 2007 issue of the Journal of Human Hypertension. The study’s leader, George Bakris, MD, commented, “This procedure (chiropractic) has the effect of not one, but two blood-pressure medications given in combination. And it seems to be adverse-event free. We saw no side effects and no problems.”

This study looked at 42 individuals with a variety of blood pressure readings in order to compare the impact chiropractic care had on the group as a whole. In this group, there were 12 subjects with a lower blood pressure than normal, considered “hypotensive”, 12 people with blood pressure in a normal range called “normotensives”, 10 with slightly high blood pressure reading considered, “pre-hypertensive,” and 8 who had blood pressure readings high enough to clearly fall into the categories of being stage 1 or stage 2 hypertensive.

Specific chiropractic care for correction of subluxation at the “Atlas” (top bone in the neck) was given to the group. This study reviewed data from three groups consisting of Group 1- hypotensives, Group 2- normotensives and Group 3- hypertensive, which combined the pre-hypertensive with the stage one and stage two hypertensive group.

The results for the hypotensive group with lower blood pressure showed that their average blood pressure increased to within a normal range. The study recorded that the average pre-chiropractic systolic pressure was 84.33 mmHg compared to the average post-chiropractic systolic pressure which was 98.17 mmHg. Similar improvements were seen in the diastolic pressures going from 64.83 mmHg to 73.67 mmHg after chiropractic care was initiated.

The group with normal blood pressure reading showed a slight decrease in both their systolic and diastolic reading after chiropractic care.

The biggest changes were in the groups of hypertensive and pre-hypertensive people where the systolic pressure group average was 152.61 mmHg before chiropractic, and the average after the introduction of chiropractic care fell to 132.39 mmHg. The diastolic values for this group for pre and post chiropractic care also showed improvement going from 83.83 mmHg to 77.00 mmHg.

In his conclusion, the author wrote, “These findings suggest realignment of the atlas does not simply lower ABP (arterial blood pressure) but may also be part of a systemic homeostatic mechanism not yet completely understood. The same adjustment that decreased hypertensive ABP measurements also increased hypotensive ABP measurements to more normal levels.”

For safe and effective treatment for you and your family please call Schofield Chiropractic and Massage in Federal Way at 253-946-4524.

Seizures and Migraines Helped with Chiropractic

Schofield Chiropractic and Massage — Mon, 07 May 2012 17:20:43 +0000

The Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research, March 12, 2012 edition published a case study showing chiropractic helping in a case of a patient with seizures, blood pressure irregularities, severe gait issues, a lazy eye, and severe fatigue. The authors of the study classified these problems as “neurovascular symptoms” in their discussions of this case.

This is the case of a 75-year-old woman who went to the chiropractor with complaints of unsteady and uncoordinated movement, which the authors termed “gait ataxia”, and with laziness in the left eye (strabismus). The authors also report that the woman’s energy levels were very low to where she would feel exhausted after only walking across a room. Her seizures would occur if she was exhausted, or if she bent over in a forward position. When having a seizure, the woman felt a hot sensation in her chest, lost the ability to speak, and developed a migraine headache.

A previous medical visit to the hospital did not yield any findings even after MRI and CAT scans were taken. She was then told to get physical therapy and was given anxiety medications. A return visit to her family doctor led to a referral to a neurologist, who also prescribed anxiety medication. The woman’s history revealed multiple medical referrals and tests, none of which helped her problem, and in some instances actually made her condition worse.

A chiropractic examination and x-rays were performed and a determination of the presence of subluxation was made. Specific adjustments were begun to correct her subluxation. After just the first adjustment, the woman’s posture was noticeably improved, and her neck range of motion increased. She also reported that her energy level had increased allowing her to do ironing for two hours, an activity she was unable to do prior to the adjustment.

As her care continued, the woman saw improvements in her walking, her balance, and her vision improved to where her one lazy eye began to track more normally. She also noted that she had not had a seizure since the beginning of her chiropractic care. Her health continued to improve to the point where she was nearly free of all her previous symptoms.

For safe and effective treatment for you and your family please call Schofield Chiropractic and Massage in Federal Way at 253-946-4524

Fibromyalgia Helped with Chiropractic – A Case Report

Schofield Chiropractic and Massage — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 17:01:34 +0000

The March 15, 2012 issue of the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research documents a case of a patient being helped with fibromyalgia through chiropractic care. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine website, “Fibromyalgia is a common syndrome in which a person has long-term, body-wide pain and tenderness in the joints, muscles, tendons, and other soft tissues. Fibromyalgia has also been linked to fatigue, sleep problems, headaches, depression, and anxiety.”

The authors of the study begin by reporting that fibromyalgia is the most common cause of widespread pain, and is more common in women, who are 10 to 20 times more likely to have fibromyalgia than men. The authors also report that it is estimated that there are between 3 to 6 million people believed to be currently suffering with the disease.

In this case, a 64-year-old woman went to the chiropractor suffering from fibromyalgia which had been medically diagnosed six years earlier. In addition to the fibromyalgia, the woman was also suffering with a large variety of health problems that included sleep apnea, loss of coordination, glaucoma, degenerative disc disease, arthritis, depression, photophobia (sensitivity to light), indigestion, changes in her bowel habits, frequent urination, sinusitis, allergies, shoulder pain, mid back pain, low back pain, high cholesterol, hypertension, and neck pain.

The woman in this case study was on a number of medications, and her health issues were severely affecting her daily activities. It was noted in the history that as a teenager, she did injure herself by falling off a horse. There were no other reported traumas or accidents.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included palpation, posture analysis, thermal readings, and x-rays. The results of the exam were that subluxations were present causing nervous system interference. A course of specific chiropractic adjustments was initiated to correct the subluxations found.

After several weeks of care, the study reports that the woman stated that her neck and shoulder pain had improved, her middle back pain had also improved, as well as her eyesight. After 3 months of care, she reported that she was 80% better. Follow up x-rays showed a considerable improvement in the curve in her neck, which was completely straight on the initial x-ray. The study authors also documented that the woman reported having a much better mental outlook, much more energy, her general strength had improved, and she was able to stand and walk for longer periods of time with no pain.

For safe and effective treatment for you and your family please call Schofield Chiropractic and Massage in Federal Way at 253-946-4524

US Healthcare by numbers

Schofield Chiropractic and Massage — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 16:24:20 +0000

Above is the headline from a March 27, 2012 Reuters article reporting on a recent study by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, from Paris, which ranked the health standards of its 34 members in a report, “Health at a Glance 2011 – OECD Indicators.” The OECD report, released in November 2011, compared a number of health statistics of various countries including the United States.

In the Reuters story, the statistics comparing the United States were featured and brought to light some of the glaring shortfalls of the U.S. healthcare system. Not surprisingly, the U.S. spends more than any other nation in the study at a current level of $2.6 trillion dollars in 2011. This equates to $8,402 for every man, woman and child in this nation. This amount represents 17.9 percent of U.S. annual gross domestic product, and is growing at a faster rate than the other nations in the study.

For the staggering amount of money spent on healthcare in the U.S., many of the health indicators in the OECD report place the U.S. far down the list when compared to other nations. Some of the highlighted indicators for the U.S. healthcare system are as follows:

The U.S. is first in obesity with 34 percent of the population being considered obese. Additionally, since 1990, this number has increased from 23 percent in 1990 and up from 15% in 1980. The U.S. also ranked second worst in obesity for children ages 5 -17.
The U.S. ranks 28th in life expectancy with an average of 78.2 years as of 2011. In contrast Japan ranks number one where the life expectancy is 83 years.
The U.S. ranks 31st in infant mortality rates with 6.5 deaths per 1000 live births. In this area, the U.S. also showed a very slow improvement over the previous 40 years showing only a 2.6 percent improvement which was the third worst improvement in this area among the nations in the study.
The U.S. ranks second in the prevalence of diabetes. The OECD report showed that 10.8 percent of the U.S. population between the ages of 29 and 70 suffers from either type 1 or 2 diabetes.

One very interesting fact brought out by the OECD report is that, in spite of the facts of the study, Americans rate their own health as highest among the people in the nations studied. The study showed that over 90 percent of Americans consider themselves to be in good health compared to an average of 69.1 percent for all nations in the OECD study.

The OECD report also compared the health care insurance coverage of the nations in the study. The U.S. ranked fourth lowest in coverage of their population with only 81.3 percent of the population being covered by health care insurance provided either by private or government programs. Most of the nations in the study, totaling 20, offer complete governmental coverage for their citizens. The U.S. ranks the lowest in governmental coverage with only 26.4 percent of the population being covered by public insurance. The next lowest country for governmental insurance coverage for its citizens is Chile which covers 73.5 percent of their citizens. The U.S. also ranked highest for out of pocket health care expenditures.

For safe effective treatment for your family please call Schofield Chiropractic and Massage at 253-946-4524. We are in Federal Way off 320th.

Woman’s Menstrual Cycle Returns With Chiropractic Care – A Case Study

Schofield Chiropractic and Massage — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:51:34 +0000

From the April 9, 2012 issue of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, comes a documented case study of a woman who regained a normal menstrual cycle after years of irregular and painful cycles. Additionally she had not had a menstrual cycle for 3 months (known as secondary amenorrhea) prior to starting chiropractic care.

According to the study authors, “Secondary amenorrhea is defined as cessation of menses for a minimum of three months or more in women who have experienced previous menses.” They also note that secondary amenorrhea has a prevalence of approximately 3.3% in women of child-bearing age.

In this case, a 39-year-old woman went to a chiropractic college health center with primary complaints of severe lower and mid back pain, pain down the leg and headaches. Upon taking a history, it was discovered that for the past three months she also suffered from amenorrhea, which is defined as the absence of a menstrual cycle. Additionally, she had a long history of painful and irregular menstrual cycles.

A chiropractic examination was performed including range of motion, palpation, and spinal x-rays. The conclusion of the examination was that multiple vertebral subluxations were present in various areas of the woman’s spine. Vertebral subluxations are areas of the spine that are malpositioned causing interference to nerve system function.

Care was initiated in the form of specific chiropractic adjustments to correct the woman’s subluxations. After the first adjustment, the woman reported a decrease in back pain and a feeling of a “tingling in the spine”. After the second visit, she reported the onset of her menstrual cycle- the first in 3 months. Over the course of the next 8 months, the woman experienced 7 menstrual cycles.

According to the study authors, the woman also reported an improvement in her back pains, headaches, fewer anxiety attacks, asthma attacks, congestion, as well as improved sleep, and increased levels of energy.

For safe and effective treatment please call Schofield Chiropractic and Massage at 253-946-4524. We are conviently located in Federal Way.

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Resolution of Infertility Followed by a Healthy Pregnancy and Delivery with Chiropractic

Schofield Chiropractic and Massage — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 16:12:56 +0000

From the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health comes a case study published on March 12, 2012 documenting the resolution of infertility in a woman previously diagnosed with a case of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome is a condition in which there is an imbalance of a woman’s female sex hormones. This imbalance can lead to infertility and affects approximately 6.6% of reproductive-aged women.

The authors of the study start by reporting that infertility is a wide-spread problem that affects one in five couples. Of these it is estimated that 60% are due to a female health problem. As a result 9.3 million women seek infertility treatment at some point during their lives. Most of the care sought is medical care.

In this case a 29 year old woman previously diagnosed with Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome and infertility sought chiropractic care. The study reports that she had been unable to become pregnant for six months. She had been to a medical practitioner one week earlier but had heard that chiropractic care could be helpful and therefore sought chiropractic care.

A chiropractic examination was performed including a spinal and nerve system analysis. It was determined that subluxations were present in multiple areas of the woman’s spine resulting in nerve system malfunction. A series of specific spinal adjustments were initiated to correct the subluxations.

The study reports that after two months of care the patient was told by her medical doctor that she was pregnant. It was estimated that the woman became pregnant between the second and fifth chiropractic visit. The study reports that the pregnancy was normal and that the woman delivered a healthy 6 pound 7 ounce baby girl after an all natural labor.

In their discussion and conclusion the authors discussed how subluxations could cause infertility by stating, “A subluxation is characterized by a dysfunction of the nervous system that results in widespread physiological changes and altered health status.” The authors continued to discuss the additional benefits in this case by noting, “Following initiation of chiropractic care, the patient not only became pregnant, but also reported improvement in many facets of her life, including improved sleep, better dietary choices, increased water consumption, and an improvement in her ability to exercise.”

For safe and effective treatment for you and your family please call Schofield Chiropractic and Massage at 253-946-4524. We are in Federal Way on 320th.

Resolution of Atrial Fibrillation & Hypertension with Chiropractic – Case Study

Schofield Chiropractic and Massage — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 16:22:10 +0000

From the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research comes a study published on February 22, 2012 documenting the case of a woman with atrial fibrillation and hypertension being helped with chiropractic.

Atrial fibrillation is the most common form of irregular heart beat and can be temporary or chronic in nature. The Mayo clinic describes atrial fibrillation as, “…an irregular and often rapid heart rate that commonly causes poor blood flow to the body. During atrial fibrillation, the heart’s two upper chambers (the atria) beat chaotically and irregularly — out of coordination with the two lower chambers (the ventricles) of the heart. Atrial fibrillation symptoms include heart palpitations, shortness of breath and weakness.”

In this case a 67 year old woman came to the chiropractor after being hospitalized for atrial fibrillation. She was also being treated with beta blockers for her history of hypertension, and she had suffered multiple transient ischemic attacks. Additional symptoms from her atrial fibrillation included fatigue, weakness, shortness of breath and a rapid heart rate. Initially she reported these problems 1-2 times per week, but more recently she was experiencing these problems on a daily basis.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included palpation, postural analysis, leg length checks, thermal scans and postural x-rays. Additionally her cardio functions were monitored and showed her blood pressure at 193/98 mm Hg, her heart rate measured at 98bpm and her respiratory rate was14 breaths per minute.

Subluxations were determined to be present in the upper neck and specific chiropractic adjustments were initiated to correct the nerve interference from the subluxations. The case study reported that five days after the woman’s initial adjustment a second adjustment was given. At this point the patient’s condition started showing improvement. The woman reported that her heart rhythm was improving and that her energy level had increased.

A week later the woman had improved to the extent that during her visit to her cardiologist it was decided that she would discontinue her medication. In time her hypertension also resolved and was recorded to be down to 124/74 mm Hg. She did not suffer any episodes of arrhythmia.

For safe and effective treatment for you and your family please call Schofield Chiropractic and Massage at 253-946-4524.

Depression Resolved and Quality of Life Improved with Chiropractic

Schofield Chiropractic and Massage — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 19:18:44 +0000

A case study published on February 13, 2012 in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research documents the case of a man helped with chiropractic who was previously suffering from major depression and other issues.

The authors of the study note that, Major Depressive Disorder (MDD) is defined as having one or more Major Depressive Episode(s). A Major Depressive Episode according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, is a, “Period of at least 2 weeks during which there is either a loss of interest or pleasure in nearly all activities or a depressed mood”. Although there is much debate about the classifications of such disorders, the authors cite their sources and note, that MDD affects anywhere from 10-25% of women and 5-12% of men within a community sample.

In this case a 28 year old man went to the chiropractor specifically for help with Major Depressive Disorder. The doctor observed that due to the severely depressed nature of his disorder, he was unable to fill out his initial intake form without assistance from his mother. His history showed that his first major depressive episode occurred when he was 17 years old. He showed a loss of interest in pleasure in almost all activities, and suffered severe weight loss. Four years after his initial episode, he was diagnosed with MDD. Over the next several years multiple medications were used which did not help the situation and created additional health issues.

The initial chiropractic examination revealed a very thin man with postural abnormalities. Muscle tests showed multiple areas of weakness and palpation of the spine showed areas of sensitivity. Additional specific chiropractic examination procedures were used and revealed positive findings. The patient was asked to score his condition from 0 to 10 with zero being no symptoms of depression. He initially scored himself as a 7 out of 10.

Care was initiated using specific chiropractic adjustments over a regular period of time. The patient showed progressive improvement. A little over a year after starting care the patient reported a marked resolution of all depressive symptoms on the subjective depression scale. The authors reported that the man regained his ability to, “…interact and communicate, which he was unable to do effectively when he first began care.” It was also noted that he was able to discontinue all medications and he even quit smoking after having smoked two packs per day for ten years.

In their conclusion the authors commented on the positive improvement that the patient had made under chiropractic care by stating, “This case of a 28-year-old male with MDD was a good example of a case that did not respond well to traditional medical care.” The authors continued noting the improvement with chiropractic care by adding, “The patient also experienced an improved quality of life as demonstrated by resolution of all depression symptoms, cessation of smoking, improvement in his diet and exercise regimen, and an overall sense of well-being.”

For help with your health needs please call Schofield Chiropractic and Massage at 253-946-4524. We are in Federal Way on 320th.

The Role of Chiropractic Care in Older Adults

Schofield Chiropractic and Massage — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 16:22:30 +0000

The above is the title of a study published on February 21, 2012 in the journal, “Chiropractic & Manual Therapies”. The article reviews information and statistics about the usage and role of chiropractic care for the aging population.

The review starts off by noting that the demographics of the population in the US is aging. By the year 2030 it is expected that one in every five Americans will be age 65 or older. The authors of the study also report that 14% of patients who go to chiropractors are age 65 or more. These seniors mainly go to chiropractors for complaints of musculoskeletal aches and pains with back pain being the most common ailment that brings these seniors to a chiropractor.

The authors report that based on previous studies, 14.6% of seniors have gone to a chiropractor between the years of 1993 and 2007. On an annual basis, they report that between 4.1% – 5.4% of seniors seek chiropractic services each year.

The study notes that chiropractors offer a variety of services to seniors with chiropractic adjustments, called SMT (spinal manipulative therapy) by the authors, being the most common service, and nutritional advice and exercise recommendations being common.

The authors report that chiropractic adjustments vary and there are many different techniques used by chiropractors in their offices. They also note that most techniques used for seniors have been modified for the age of the patients and their specific spinal conditions.

The authors also noted that other studies showed chiropractic helping elderly people with a range of other health issues including: COPD, constipation, depression (associated with back pain), Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis, pneumonia, spinal stenosis, urinary incontinence, and osteoarthritic pain and dysfunction.

The study also reported that chiropractic care was safer than expected for older adults with two studies showing a small number of adverse events and none of them being serious. In their discussion the authors stressed the importance of chiropractic for seniors when they said, “As the population continues to age there will be a greater need for the chiropractic profession to meet the needs of the older adult.”

For safe and effective care for your whole family please call Schofield Chiropractic and Massage at 253-946-4524. We are in Federal Way.

Menstrual Problems Helped With Chiropractic – A Case Study

Schofield Chiropractic and Massage — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:31:34 +0000

On May 23, 2011, a case study appeared in the scientific periodical, The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, documenting the case of a 21-year-old woman who had not had a menstrual cycle in 5 years, and was helped by chiropractic care.

In this case, a woman went to the chiropractor suffering from back pain and with a history of amenorrhea. Amenorrhea is described as an absence of a menstrual cycle for more than three months. In this case, the history noted that at the early age of 7, this girl started to have menstrual cycles. Her medical doctor treated her with Lupron injections, a drug used to stop menstrual cycles and the onset of puberty. At the age of 9, her medical doctor discontinued the treatment believing that the girl was old enough to start menstruation.

From the age of 9 until the age of 15, the girl’s menstrual cycles were irregular and became less frequent, discontinuing at age 16. She did, however, have menstrual cramps without having a normal menstrual cycle. At that point, the girl was placed on oral contraceptives in an attempt to help regulate her cycle. However, the medication caused her menstrual bleeding to become extremely heavy. Additionally, the drugs negatively impacted her emotional state which eventually led to her discontinuing use of the medication. In addition to this, the woman also suffered a fall, injuring her lower back, which coincided with the total interruption of her menstrual cycles.

Upon going to the chiropractor, an examination was performed consisting of a postural evaluation, static and motion palpation, thermography, and surface electromyography. A determination was made that subluxations were present. Care was initiated consisting of regular specific adjustments for correction of the subluxations. As care progressed, the woman reported experiencing better posture, more energy, and improvement in overall health. Approximately 12 weeks into care, the patient reported the start of her menstrual cycle for the first time in 5 years.

Further examinations continued to show improvement with the woman’s overall health. She reported a loss in weight, and the continuation of normal menstrual cycles. In their conclusion, the authors discuss how subluxations can have a detrimental effect on body functions including reproduction. They stated, “This case, as well as the reviewed literature, shows that chiropractic may play a beneficial role in reproductive health.”

For safe and effective treatment please call Schofield Chiropractic and Massage at 253-946-4524. We are in Fed Way.

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