Chiropractic
and Tourette Syndrome
Chiropractic
is non-surgical, drug-free therapy that seeks to treat the "total
person". It includes spinal manipulation and non-manipulative
therapies such as electrical stimulation, massage and ultrasound.
The
science of chiropractic deals with the relationship between the articulations
of the skeleton and the nervous system, and the role of this relationship
in the restoration and maintenance of health.
Doctors
of Chiropractic are physicians who consider man as an integrated being
and give special attention to the physiological and biochemical aspects
including structural, spinal, musculoskeletal, neurological, vascular,
nutritional, emotional and environmental relationships.
If a
patient's spine is stable without nerve root impingement, chiropractic
care may be an option. Chiropractic is not recommended to treat spondylolisthesis,
abnormal spinal curvature or disc herniation.
The scope
of conditions that Doctors of Chiropractic manage or provide care
for is not limited to neuromusculoskeletal disorders. Chiropractors
have the training to treat a variety of non-neuromusculoskeletal conditions
such as: allergies, asthma, digestive disorders, and other disorders
as new research is developed.
Numerous
studies throughout the world have shown that chiropractic treatment,
including manipulative therapy and spinal adjustment, is both safe
and effective.
Chiropractic
is often misunderstood. Most people, when asked, think a Chiropractor
is a "back doctor". While this is true in part, there's
a whole lot more to this profession than that.
Male,
Age 9, Tourette Syndrome, ADHD, Depression, Insomnia, Headaches, Asthma
This 9-year-old
boy began having health problems soon after his birth (a forceps birth).
He also fell down the stairs at age 1. He had many infections including
ear infections and pneumonia every year for the first several years
of his life. He was diagnosed with asthma at age 2 and prescribed
inhalers. The asthma attacks occurred during weather changes, humidity,
and physical activity. By age 7, he was diagnosed with ADHD and Tourette
Syndrome. The Tourette's tics occurred head to toe and involved his
eyes, neck, voice, rolling of his toes, flinching of his side, and
lifting of his arms overhead. He was not prescribed Ritalin for ADHD
due to an increased risk of tics. In addition, he was diagnosed with
insomnia and depression at age 8 and was prescribed 2 different anti-depressant
medications. He also experienced neck pain and headaches 3 times per
week since age 8.
During
this boy's upper cervical exam, a neck injury was found, which possibly
stemmed from either his birth or fall down the stairs. After his first
upper cervical adjustment, his mother reported only 2 days later:
1) his attitude and personality were happier, 2) no headaches, 3)
no neck pain, 4) no wheezing, 5) tics were cut in half, 6) slept through
the night. One month later, no headaches or neck pain occurred over
the month; no asthma or wheezing occurred over the month and no asthma
medications were used; all motor tics were completely gone and only
an occasional verbal tic occurred; sleeping had been consistently
improved; personality and behavior had been consistently improved
and anti-depressants had been cut in half; attention in school to
school work and interaction with other kids in school was also greatly
improved. Six weeks after the first adjustment, all symptoms were
absent. All family members remarked that by having his neck injury
corrected, the boy had become a completely different, happy, and healthy
child.
Male, Age 15, Tourette Syndrome, Neck Pain
This
15-year-old male was diagnosed with Tourette Syndrome at age 7. He
had no family history of Tourette Syndrome. The tics were constantly
present and worsened during times of concentration, such as during
reading and writing. He was diagnosed as having a learning disorder,
and as a result, the boy was home-schooled. He also described how
he felt uncomfortable during social situations and experienced anxiety
in anticipation of having tics in front of his friends. In addition,
he suffered from chronic neck pain for years. He had difficulty getting
comfortable to sleep at night and usually slept on many pillows. He
also constantly tried to "crack" his own neck in an attempt
to make it feel better but it continued to bother him. He described
himself as having constant daily tightness in his neck and shoulders,
especially at the base of his skull.
During
this boy's upper cervical exam, a neck injury was found. His mother
could not recall any accidents he had suffered as a child that could
have caused his neck injury other than typical falls and sports injuries
of childhood, although the boy was an avid snowboarder and had taken
some falls on his head. After his first upper cervical adjustment,
he reported having a tremendous reduction in tics and neck pain. He
couldn't believe how much better his neck felt after so many years
of discomfort. Within a month, he was free of tics and neck pain and
was able to resume concentrating on school subjects that had previously
been too difficult. He continued with home-schooling so his mother
could monitor his progress. She reported tremendous improvement in
his ability to concentrate, complete school work, etc. He reported
a definite change in his ability to perform school work. He recalled
that previously, no matter how hard he concentrated, he could not
finish a set of math problems. After being adjusted, he said he completed
his math homework easily. In addition, he also reported how much of
a relief it was to no longer worry about experiencing tics, especially
in front of other people.
Please
note: Case studies summarizing patients’ responses to care are
intended for educational purposes only and do not imply a guarantee
of benefit. Individual results may vary, depending upon several factors
including age of the patient, severity of the condition, severity
of the spinal injury, and duration of time the condition has been
present.
External
Links for Chiropractic and Tourette Syndrome
How
IUCCA upper cervical care relates to Tourette Syndrome
Upper
Cervical Chiropractic Care For A Nine-Year-Old Male With Tourette
Syndrome, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Depression, Asthma,
Insomnia, and Headaches: A Case Report. (Click
here for abstract report)
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to Alternative Treatments for Tourette Syndrome
