Chiropractic Care

Retrospective Review of Case Records of School-aged Children Receiving Chiropractic Care

By Frank M. Painter|May 11, 2025|Chiropractic Care, Pediatrics|

Retrospective Review of Case Records of School-aged Children Receiving Chiropractic Care

SOURCE: J Bodyw Mov Ther 2025 (Jun): 42: 948–954

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Jenna Duehr • Lona Cook • Amanda Blonigen • Alice Cade • Tanja Glucina • Monika Buerger
Stephanie Sullivan • Tyson Perez • Muhammed Samran Navid
Imran Khan Niazi • Heidi Haavik

Centre for Chiropractic Research,
New Zealand College of Chiropractic,
Auckland, 1060, New Zealand

Background: Chiropractic care is utilized in school aged children for a variety of health complaints, including headaches, postural issues, nocturnal enuresis, neurodevelopmental disorders, and back pain. Chiropractic care, with its ability to impact sensorimotor integration, motor control and the prefrontal cortex, could therefore potentially benefit school aged children.

Methods: In this retrospective case series, records of patients presenting for chiropractic care at an onsite school chiropractic clinic were reviewed. Patients underwent 12 weeks of chiropractic care and completed three questionnaires and two sets of neurophysiological scans. The data from these questionnaires and scans were combined, averaged, and statistically analyzed.

Results: One hundred and eighty records of children aged 5-18 years from nine schools were included in the overall analyses. Statistically significant improvements were noted in the ‘health and activities’ sub-section and overall score of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ and in the hyperactivity domain of the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire.

Conclusion: This retrospective review of case records from children attending an onsite school chiropractic clinic has demonstrated some changes in health-related quality of life following a period of 12 weeks of chiropractic care. Further research using a clinical trial design is needed to extrapolate the findings and to assess causation.

Keywords: Chiropractic; Heart-rate variability; Neurodevelopmental disorders; Neurophysiology; Quality of life; School children; Surface electromyography; Thermography.

From the Full-Text Article:

Introduction

Childhood is a period of huge growth and development. The health and experiences of children during this critical time can have long-term impacts on disease rates, mental health, and overall well-being for the rest of their lives(Drozdz et al., 2021; Goodman et al., 2011; Middlebrooks., 2007; Marcus et al., 2022; Bellis et al., 2019). However, the health and wellbeing of children today is showing some alarming areas of decline and concern (Lebrun-Harris et al., 2022). Data from the National Survey of Children’s health in the US from 2016 to 2020 showed an increase in rates of anxiety, depression, behavioral disorders, and obesity (Lebrun-Harris et al., 2022)). The survey also showed declining rates of preventative medical visits, daily physical activity, and parents mental health (Lebrun-Harris et al., 2022). The decline in key areas of health is also evident from more historical data from the 2007 and 2011/2012 National Survey of Children’s Health (Initiative et al., 2024) which showed higher rates in many of the domains related to good health (preventative medical visits, physical activity) and lower rates of obesity, suggesting that the decline in key areas of children’s health has been evident for nearly two decades.

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Trends in Chiropractic Care and Physical Rehabilitation Use Among Adults with Low Back Pain in the United States, 2002 to 2018

By Frank M. Painter|April 24, 2025|Chiropractic Care, Cost-Effectiveness, Low Back Pain|

Trends in Chiropractic Care and Physical Rehabilitation Use Among Adults with Low Back Pain in the United States, 2002 to 2018

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SOURCE: J Gen Intern Med. 2023 (Oct 19); 39 (4): 578–586

Eric J Roseen • Kushang V Patel • Rachel Ward • Xinyao de Grauw
Steven J Atlas • Stephen Bartels • Julie J Keysor • Jonathan F Bean

Section of General Internal Medicine,
Department of Medicine, Boston University,
Chobanian & Avedision School of Medicine and
Boston Medical Center,
Boston, MA, USA.

Background While nonpharmacologic treatments are increasingly endorsed as first-line therapy for low back pain (LBP) in clinical practice guidelines, it is unclear if use of these treatments is increasing or equitable.

Objective Examine national trends in chiropractic care and physical rehabilitation (occupational/physical therapy (OT/PT)) use among adults with LBP.

Design/Setting Serial cross-sectional analysis of the National Health Interview Survey, 2002 to 2018.

Participants 146,087 adults reporting LBP in prior 3 months.

Methods We evaluated the association of survey year with chiropractic care or OT/PT use in prior 12 months. Logistic regression with multilevel linear splines was used to determine if chiropractic care or OT/PT use increased after the introduction of clinical guidelines. We also examined trends in use by age, sex, race, and ethnicity. When trends were similar over time, we present differences by these demographic characteristics as unadjusted ORs using data from all respondents.

Results Between 2002 and 2018, less than one-third of adults with LBP reported use of either chiropractic care or OT/PT. Rates did not change until 2016 when uptake increased with the introduction of clinical guidelines (2016–2018 vs 2002–2015, OR` =` 1.15; 95% CI: 1.10–1.19). Trends did not differ significantly by sex, race, or ethnicity (p for interactions` >` 0.05). Racial and ethnic disparities in chiropractic care or OT/PT use were identified and persisted over time. For example, compared to non-Hispanic adults, either chiropractic care or OT/PT use was lower among Hispanic adults (combined OR` =` 0.62, 95% CI: 0.65–0.73). By contrast, compared to White adults, Black adults had similar OT/PT use (OR` =` 0.98; 95% CI: 0.94–1.03) but lower for chiropractic care use (OR` =` 0.50; 95% CI: 0.47–0.53).

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Temporal Trends and Geographic Variations in the Supply of Clinicians Who Provide Spinal Manipulation to Medicare Beneficiaries: A Serial Cross-Sectional Study

By Frank M. Painter|February 9, 2025|Chiropractic Care, Medicare|

Temporal Trends and Geographic Variations in the Supply of Clinicians Who Provide Spinal Manipulation to Medicare Beneficiaries: A Serial Cross-Sectional Study

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SOURCE: J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2021 (Mar)

James M Whedon • Scott Haldeman • Curtis L Petersen • William Schoellkopf • Todd A MacKenzie • Jon D Lurie

Health Services Research,
Southern California University of Health Sciences,
Whittier, California.

FROM: Davis ~ J Am Board Fam Med. 2015 (Jul)

Objective: Spinal manipulation (SM) is recommended for first-line treatment of patients with low back pain. Inadequate access to SM may result in inequitable spine care for older US adults, but the supply of clinicians who provide SM under Medicare is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to measure temporal trends and geographic variations in the supply of clinicians who provide SM to Medicare beneficiaries.

Methods: Medicare is a US government-administered health insurance program that provides coverage primarily for older adults and people with disabilities. We used a serial cross-sectional design to examine Medicare administrative data from 2007 to 2015 for SM services identified by procedure code. We identified unique providers by National Provider Identifier and distinguished between chiropractors and other specialties by Physician Specialty Code. We calculated supply as the number of providers per 100,000 beneficiaries, stratified by geographic location and year.

Results: Of all clinicians who provide SM to Medicare beneficiaries, 97% to 98% are doctors of chiropractic. The geographic supply of doctors of chiropractic providing SM services in 2015 ranged from 20/100,000 in the District of Columbia to 260/100,000 in North Dakota. The supply of other specialists performing the same services ranged from fewer than 1/100,000 in 11 states to 8/100,000 in Colorado. Nationally, the number of Medicare-active chiropractors declined from 47 102 in 2007 to 45 543 in 2015. The count of other clinicians providing SM rose from 700 in 2007 to 1441 in 2015.

Conclusion: Chiropractors constitute the vast majority of clinicians who bill for SM services to Medicare beneficiaries. The supply of Medicare-active SM providers varies widely by state. The overall supply of SM providers under Medicare is declining, while the supply of nonchiropractors who provide SM is growing.

Keywords: Chiropractic; Manipulation, Spinal; Medicare; Musculoskeletal Manipulations.

From the FULL TEXT Article:

Introduction

Low back pain is highly prevalent in the United States, and management of it can be particularly challenging in the Medicare beneficiary population, which is older and has disabilities and frequently comorbidities. [1, 2]

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Comparative Effectiveness of Cervical vs Thoracic Spinal-thrust Manipulation for Care of Cervicogenic Headache: A Randomized Controlled Trial

By Frank M. Painter|December 26, 2024|Cervicogenic Headache, Chiropractic Care|

Comparative Effectiveness of Cervical vs Thoracic Spinal-thrust Manipulation for Care of Cervicogenic Headache: A Randomized Controlled Trial

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SOURCE: PLoS One 2024 (Mar 29); 19 (3): e0300737 ~ FULL TEXT

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Gopal Nambi • Mshari Alghadier • Mudathir Mohamedahmed Eltayeb • Osama R Aldhafian. et al.

Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences,
College of Applied Medical Sciences,
Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University,
Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia.

Background: There is ample evidence supporting the use of different manipulative therapy techniques for cervicogenic headache (CgH). However, no technique can be singled as the best available treatment for patients with CgH. Therefore, the objective of the study is to find and compare the clinical effects of cervical spine over thoracic spine manipulation and conventional physiotherapy in patients with CgH.

Design, setting, and participants: It is a prospective, randomized controlled study conducted between July 2020 and January 2023 at the University hospital. N = 96 eligible patients with CgH were selected based on selection criteria and they were divided into cervical spine manipulation (CSM; n = 32), thoracic spine manipulation (TSM; n = 32) and conventional physiotherapy (CPT; n = 32) groups, and received the respective treatment for four weeks. Primary (CgH frequency) and secondary CgH pain intensity, CgH disability, neck pain frequency, neck pain intensity, neck pain threshold, cervical flexion rotation test (CFRT), neck disability index (NDI) and quality of life (QoL) scores were measured. The effects of treatment at various intervals were analyzed using a 3 × 4 linear mixed model analysis (LMM), with treatment group (cervical spine manipulation, thoracic spine manipulation, and conventional physiotherapy) and time intervals (baseline, 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and 6 months), and the statistical significance level was set at P < 0.05.

Results: The reports of the CSM, TSM and CPT groups were compared between the groups. Four weeks following treatment CSM group showed more significant changes in primary (CgH frequency) and secondary (CgH pain intensity, CgH disability, neck pain frequency, pain intensity, pain threshold, CFRT, NDI and QoL) than the TSM and CPT groups (p = 0.001). The same gradual improvement was seen in the CSM group when compared to TSM and CPT.

Conclusion: The reports of the current randomized clinical study found that CSM resulted in significantly better improvements in pain parameters (intensity, frequency and threshold) functional disability and quality of life in patients with CgH than thoracic spine manipulation and conventional physiotherapy.

Trial registration: Clinical trial registration: CTRI/2020/06/026092 trial was registered prospectively on 24/06/2020.

From the FULL TEXT Article:

Introduction

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Conservative Management of Cervicogenic Dizziness Associated With Upper Cervical Instability and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome: A Case Report

By Frank M. Painter|December 9, 2024|Cervicogenic Dizziness, Chiropractic Care, Evidence-based Practice|

Conservative Management of Cervicogenic Dizziness Associated With Upper Cervical Instability and Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome: A Case Report

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SOURCE: Cureus 2024 (Oct 31); 16 (10): e72765

Robert J Trager • Andres Schuster • Cliff Tao • Gina Zamary

Connor Whole Health,
University Hospitals Cleveland Medical Center,
Cleveland, USA.

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Cervicogenic dizziness (CGD) is a disorder in which dizziness arises from cervical spine dysfunction and is diagnosed after excluding other conditions. We present a case of a 27–year-old woman with a six-year history of dizziness, neck and cervicothoracic pain, and occipital-temporal-orbital headaches. The patient also experienced occasional severe, incapacitating episodes of dizziness with vomiting. Previous evaluations, including advanced imaging, had helped rule out central, otolithic, and psychogenic causes of dizziness. Dynamic radiographs revealed signs of lateral instability of C1 while tilt table testing revealed postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Over eight months, the patient underwent a regimen of gentle manual therapies and cervical stability exercises. The patient’s dizziness substantially improved, as measured by the Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), with scores reducing from 50 (moderate handicap) to 10 (less than mild handicap). This case highlights the importance of considering cervical spine dysfunction and associated conditions like POTS in the differential diagnosis of chronic dizziness. While conservative management including manual therapy appeared effective in this case for CGD with underlying upper cervical instability and POTS, additional research is needed on this topic.

Keywords: case reports; cervical vertebrae; chiropractic; dizziness; headache; joint instability; neck pain; postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome; rehabilitation.

From the FULL TEXT Article:

Introduction

Dizziness is a non-specific term used to describe various sensations, including lightheadedness, unsteadiness, or a spinning feeling. Its utility as a diagnostic term is limited due to its broad nature, necessitating a thorough assessment of the patient’s history and examination for an accurate diagnosis. [1] Dizziness is typically evaluated based on its timing, associated triggers, and symptom subtypes. For instance, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), the most common cause of dizziness, accounting for approximately 24% of cases, presents with brief episodes of rotatory dizziness triggered by head movements. [1, 2] Other subtypes of dizziness may arise from vestibular, vascular, or psychogenic sources, with less frequent causes including Meniere’s disease, vestibular neuritis, and others. [2]

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Association Between Spinal Manipulation, Butalbital Prescription, and Medication Overuse Headache in Adults With Tension-Type Headache: Retrospective Cohort Study

By Frank M. Painter|December 8, 2024|Chiropractic Care, Headache|

Association Between Spinal Manipulation, Butalbital Prescription, and Medication Overuse Headache in Adults With Tension-Type Headache: Retrospective Cohort Study

The Chiro.Org Blog

SOURCE: Health Science Reports 2024 (Nov 29); 7 (12): e70218

Robert J Trager • Timothy J Williamson • Pratheek S Makineni • Lindsay H Morris

Connor Whole Health University Hospitals
Cleveland Medical Center
Cleveland Ohio USA.

Background and aims: Butalbital is an acute headache medication commonly prescribed for tension-type headache (TTH), although discouraged by guidelines due to a risk of medication overuse headache (MOH). Considering spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) may reduce TTH frequency and intensity, we hypothesized adults with TTH receiving chiropractic SMT would be less likely to receive a butalbital prescription over 2 years versus matched controls not receiving SMT. We secondarily compared likelihood of MOH between cohorts.

Methods: We searched a United States medical records database of patients attending academic medical centers for adults with TTH, from 2013 to 2024, excluding those diagnosed with other headaches and seen in inpatient/emergency settings. We divided patients into two cohorts: (1) SMT and (2) non-SMT, using propensity matching to control for demographics and other variables associated with likelihood of butalbital prescription and MOH.

Results: Three thousand one hundred and sixteen patients remained per cohort after matching. The incidence of butalbital prescription was lower in the SMT cohort compared to the non-SMT cohort (SMT: 1.7%; non-SMT: 3.8%), yielding an RR (95% CI) of 0.46 (0.33-0.63; p < 0.001). The incidence of MOH was lower in the SMT cohort versus non-SMT cohort (SMT: 0.5%; non-SMT: 1.2%), yielding an RR (95% CI) of 0.44 (0.25-0.80; p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Adults receiving chiropractic SMT had a significantly lower likelihood of butalbital prescription and, tentatively, MOH compared to matched controls not receiving SMT. These findings support current guideline recommendations favoring SMT in TTH care, though future studies should replicate and compare these findings with other nonpharmacologic clinicians and interventions.

Keywords: barbiturates; chiropractic; headache; spinal manipulation.

From the FULL TEXT Article:

Background

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