Back to News

Man With Advanced Spinal Degeneration Responds

The October, 2003 issue of the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics reports that a 30 year-old man with spinal ankylosing spondylitis (AS) responded favorably to a course of chiropractic care. AS is a form of joint degeneration that typically leads to stiffening of the spine, changes in spinal curvature and fusion of spinal joints resulting in immobility and disability.

 

Diagnosed with AS at the age of 20, the 30 year-old man in this study reported that medical care in the previous 10 years had not prevented his problems from getting worse. At the time he reported for chiropractic care at a chiropractic college outpatient clinic, he reported constant low back, hip and neck pain that he rated 4 out of 10 but that his hip pain would increase to 10 out of 10 at its worst. His pain did not radiate down his legs but he did report increased pain with the approach of bad weather.

 

After a 12 week program of chiropractic care, the man reported an overall improvement in how he felt as well as his flexibility. The authors concluded that chiropractic care was "effective in promoting the quality of life and the flexibility of the spine in this subject with advanced AS."

 

Commentary: While chiropractic care is not a cure for any disease or condition, it does increase the overall function of the body, putting it in a better position to heal itself; to the point that even long-standing degenerative conditions can show improvement. The long-term benefits of a better functioning body? An increase in the quality of life as this case points out. Continued Chiropractic Wellness Care will help ensure that good health and life expression will occur for a lifetime.