This study looked at 81 patients with Multiple Sclerosis or Parkinson’s disease in a private Chiropractic clinic. One of the factors the Chiropractor was evaluating was how common head or neck trauma was in these patients. What they found was that of the 81 patients, 78 had at least one incident of head or neck trauma before the development of their disease. This is not surprising as other studies and researchers have shown this link between head trauma and the development of Multiple Sclerosis and Parkinson’s disease.

All of the 81 patients in this study received Chiropractic Adjustments focused specifically at the highest bone in the neck right at the base of the skull. The patients were evaluated after a course of treatment and put into one of four groups based on a change in the symptoms they were experiencing. They could have no change in symptoms or if they got better they were grouped into minor, moderate or substantial improvement based on the number or intensity of change in their symptoms.

Of the 44 patients that had Multiple Sclerosis 28 of them had substantial improvement, 8 moderate, and 5 showed minor improvement for a total of 91% improvement rate. In the 37 Parkinson’s disease patients 16 showed substantial improvement, 8 moderate and 11 minor improvement for a total of 92% improvement rate.

Putting the pieces together it is easy to see why Chiropractic care can be so beneficial in these cases. Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative change in certain nerve cells located right at the transition of the brain into the spinal cord. Coincidently, right at the location of the uppermost bones in the spine, the one adjusted in this study. Multiple Sclerosis is a degenerative change to the covering of nerve cells. In both of these cases the trauma to the neck and head may have damaged these delicate nerve cells. This would be why so many people with these diseases report having a trauma before the development of either of these diseases.

Chiropractic care, specifically focusing on the upper part of the spine in the neck can restore normal function to the spinal bones and joints decreasing irritation to the nerves that are being affected. This is a powerful example of why it is so important to have your spine checked regularly especially after some form of trauma. The sooner you can restore normal function to how your spine and nervous system works the better protected it will be from developing problems later in life. It’s as simple as that!

J Vertebral Subluxation Res. Aug 2, 2004

By Dr Scott Szela