Chiro.Org is proud to support the FCER and the ICPA and their continuing research into the health benefits of chiropractic care. Please offer them your financial assistance!
The World Health Organization defines health as being “a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity”. [ 1 ] Given this broad definition of health, epistemological constructs borrowed from the social sciences may demonstrate health benefits not disclosed by randomized controlled trials. Health benefits, such as improvement in self-reported quality-of-life (QOL), behaviors associated with decreased morbidity, patient satisfaction, and decreased health care costs, are reported in the following articles, and they make a compelling statement about the effects of chiropractic on general health.
Wellness and Chiropractic
This page is devoted to reviewing articles that support wellness and general health improvement. This page picks up where this page leaves off.
Chiropractic Care of Musculoskeletal Disorders in a Unique Population Within Canadian Community Health Centers
J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2007 (Mar); 30 (3): 165–170
Patients of low socioeconomic status face barriers to accessing chiropractic services.
This study suggests that chiropractic care reduces pain and disability as well as improves general health status in patients with MSK conditions. r Further studies using a more robust methodology are needed to investigate the efficacy and cost-effectiveness of introducing chiropractic care into publicly funded health care facilities.
Quality of Life Changes in a Disadvantaged, Underserved Chiropractic Patient Population: A Retrospective Case Series Report
Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research 2005 (Apr 15): 1–3
SF-36 mean scores of patients from the shelter increased in each of the scales and summary scores. Results must be interpreted cautiously because of the small number of participants, but it is interesting to note that the vitality scale (VT) score improved 22 points. This increase was enough to achieve statistical significance (p equals 0.02) despite the small numbers of patients involved. It appears that chiropractic care holds promise and merits further investigation as one means of enhancing the quality of life in the homeless population studied in this case series report.
Chiropractic Maintenance Care and Quality of Life of a Patient Presenting with Chronic Low Back Pain
J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2005 (Feb); 28 (2): 136–142
The patient appeared to experience improvement in quality of life while showing signs suggestive of improved spinal function. The relationship between indicators of vertebral subluxation and quality of life deserves further investigation using a research design that allows for exploration of possible causal relationships.
Objective Physiologic Changes and Associated Health Benefits of Chiropractic Adjustments in Asymptomatic Subjects: A Review of the Literature
Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research 2004 (Apr 26): 1–9
The data reviewed lend support to the contention that chiropractic adjustments, often for the purpose of correcting vertebral subluxation, confer measurable health benefits to people regardless of the presence or absence of symptoms. A significant amount of preliminary evidence supports that people without symptoms can benefit from chiropractic care. Improved function can be objectively measured in asymptomatic individuals following chiropractic care in a number of body systems often by relatively non-invasive means. It is plausible that chiropractic care may be of benefit to every function of the body and have the potential for long-term, overall health benefit to those receiving chiropractic care.
Chiropractic Care of the Older Patient: Developing an Evidence-based Approach
Proceedings of the World Federation of Chiropractic Congress 2001 (May); 6: 245–246
This study indicated that, as a profession, chiropractic has recognized the importance of geriatric education. Several articles indicate that the utilization of chiropractic services of older patients is increasing, and other articles indicate that many different conditions have been successfully resolved by chiropractic care. Although the results of this article are encouraging, continued research is necessary to further develop an evidence-based approach to chiropractic geriatric care, especially in the areas of maintenance care and the management of non-musculoskeletal conditions.
A Survey of Practice Patterns and the Health Promotion and Prevention Attitudes of US Chiropractors. Maintenance Care: Part I
J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2000 (Jan); 23 (1): 1–9
Despite educational, philosophic, and political differences, US chiropractors come to a consensus about the purpose and composition of MC. Not withstanding the absence of scientific support, they believe that it is of value to all age groups and a variety of conditions from stress to musculoskeletal and visceral conditions. This strong belief in the preventive and health promotion value of MC motivates them to recommend this care to most patients. This, in turn, results in a high level of preventive services and income averaging an estimated $50,000 per chiropractic practice in 1994. The data suggest that the amount of services and income generated by preventive and health-promoting services may be second only to those from the treatment of low-back pain. The response from this survey also suggests that the level of primary care, health promotion and prevention activities of chiropractors surpasses that of other physicians.
Maintenance Care: Health Promotion Services Administered to US Chiropractic Patients Aged 65 and Older, Part II
J Manipulative Physiol Ther 2000 (Jan); 23 (1): 10–19
Rupert, Manello, and Sandefur surveyed 311 chiropractic patients, aged 65 years, who had received “maintenance care” for 5 years. Chiropractic patients receiving maintenance care, when compared with US citizens of the same age, spent only 31% of the national average for health care services and reported a 50% reduction in medical provider visits. The health habits of patients receiving maintenance care were better overall than the general population, including decreased use of cigarettes and nonprescription drugs. Furthermore, 95.8% believed the care to be either “considerably” or “extremely” valuable.
Stress: The Chiropractic Patients Self-perceptions
J Manipulative Physiol Ther 1999 (Jul); 22 (6): 395–398
Of the 138 patients attending 1 of 10 participating chiropractic clinics, more than 30% regarded themselves as moderately to severely stressed, and over 50% felt that stress had a moderate or greater effect on their current problem. Some 71% of patients felt it would be helpful if their chiropractic care included strategies to help them cope with stress, and 44% were interested in taking a self-development program to enhance their stress management skills. Patient perceptions are known to be important in health care. A number of chiropractic patients perceive they are moderately or severely stressed. Interventions that reduce stress, or even the patient's perception of being stressed, may be construed as valid, non-specific clinical interventions. It may be timely for chiropractors to actively contemplate including stress management routinely in their clinical care protocols.
Chiropractic Patients in a Comprehensive Home-Based Geriatric Assessment, Follow-up and Health Promotion Program
Topics In Clinical Chriopractic 1996 (Jun): 3 (2): 46–55
Coulter et al performed an analysis of an insurance database, comparing persons receiving chiropractic care with nonchiropractic patients. The study consisted of senior citizens >75 years of age. Recipients of chiropractic care reported better overall health, spent fewer days in hospitals and nursing homes, used fewer prescription drugs, and were more active than the nonchiropractic patients.
A Comparative Study of the Health Status of Children Raised Under the Health Care Models of Chiropractic and Allopathic Medicine
J Chiropractic Research 1989; 5 (Summer): 101–103
This 1989 study compared the health of two hundred children under chiropractic care and two hundred children under medical care. The chiropractic children had fewer ear infections, fewer allergies, fewer cases of tonsillitis, and needed less medical treatment (antibiotics and other medications). The result of this study demonstrates the benefits of chiropractic on the health status of our children.
Changes in Wellness and Quality of Life During Subluxation-Centered Chiropractic Care
Most studies of chiropractic efficacy have been limited to low back pain, neck pain or headaches. The notion that chiropractic may enhance one's life experience if used on an ongoing basis has been largely ignored in the literature. In that sense, chiropractic care, aimed at the removal of vertebral subluxation, may be of benefit to a wider proportion of the population, besides those complaining of specific illness or pain. Evidence is needed to justify the use of long-term chiropractic care in a population in which the main goals of care are the advancement of health and human potential rather than the treatment of disease or the alleviation of pain.
![[SWIRL 2]](../GRAPHICS/SWIRL-2.GIF)