Chiropractic Helps Woman Suffering from Failed Back Surgery

Recent research reporting on a 62 year old woman suffering from failed back surgery syndrome and spinal curvature who experienced improvement following chiropractic care reveals that chiropractic may play an important role in caring for these types of problems. The research, reported in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research, includes a review of the literature on structural spinal shifts and also reviews potential mechanisms by which the improvement may have occurred.

CLICK HERE to review the research

“Many people have memories of their grandmother, mother or some other authority figure in their lives telling them to stand up straight, sit up straight, don’t slouch etc. If you were a good little kid you heeded that advice immediately and corrected your bad posture – temporarily anyway” stated Matthew McCoy DC, MPH, a chiropractor, public health researcher and editor of the journal that published the study.

McCoy continued “As anyone who experienced this can recall you “corrected” your posture only to find that a few minutes (seconds) later you were back to slouching.  The reason why telling someone to just sit up or stand straight doesn’t have any lasting effect is because the poor posture is a symptom of a much deeper problem.”  

And these days it’s becoming an epidemic with so called “text neck”, the use of back packs loaded with school supplies, and our sedentary, desk jockey, coach potato lifestyle.

The problem with poor posture is that its cause is actually an underlying structural problem. Think about a house with a shifting foundation and how that’s going to end up over time. Poor posture is secondary to structural spinal shifts. Structural spinal shifts end up causing obstructions in the nervous system and it’s this vicious cycle that keeps the posture locked in a perpetual downward spiral.

Researchers say the only way to “fix” poor posture is by addressing the underlying cause from these structural shifts and the resulting nerve obstructions. These obstructions are referred to as vertebral subluxations in the scientific literature and adjusting them is how chiropractic helps people change their spinal structure.

Researchers point out that the available evidence presents the long-term implications as far more than merely a cosmetic defect, but a potentially serious impediment to a person’s long-term state of health and well-being.

Stated Dr. McCoy “Considering the fact that every single function of the body is controlled by the nervous system it should not surprise anyone that removing obstructions to the nerves that control the muscles and joints of the spine would lead to improvement in health and quality of life” remarked Dr. McCoy.

The woman reported on in this research study had suffered through two back sugeries that failed, had chronic back pain, spinal curvature and was taking 13 different medications.

The chiropractor examined her and found forward head syndrome, muscle spasm, abnormal posture and abnormal range of motion of the spine. X-rays taken revealed spinal degeneration and structural shifts in her spine. These structural shifts can lead to obstruction of the nerves and it is this obstruction, called vertebral subluxations, that chiropractors correct. 

Following chiropractic care the woman, who had suffered unnecessarily for years, experienced improvement in her nerve function, her posture improved, her abnormal spinal curves improved and she had a decrease in her back pain along with improved function and quality of life. Correcting the subluxations through the use of specific chiropractic adjustments appears to have led to resolution of her complaints. The authors called for further research in this area.

Contact Information: 

Matthew McCoy DC, MPH
Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research
https://www.vertebralsubluxationresearch.com/vertebral-subluxation-research-1/
support@vertebralsubluxationresearch.com