June 14, 2021
Auriculotemporal Neuralgia (or ATN) is a relatively rare condition that many people wouldn’t have heard of. However, for sufferers it is marked by severe pain running from the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) up near the ear, and down through the face. It can cause excruciating pain, often one-sided, in the face and ear radiating out to the temporal region just above and below the ear on the side of the face. Often, this unwelcome visitor is caused by damage to the TMJ and cause even skin to be sore to touch. There is a paucity of literature on this particular condition […]
June 7, 2021
When most of us are asked to put our hand on our heart, the right hand goes to the left side. It’s a rule of anatomy that is just assumed: our heart is on the left side of our body. Around that is a natural fit for the different organs that sit inside the human torso. Yet in the case of Situs Inversus, there is a complete reversal of all of this. We are dealing with a mirror image of the normal human anatomy. What then does this mean for the chiropractor? A new case report appearing in the Asia […]
May 31, 2021
We have been keenly awaiting the latest instalment in the stroke research emerging from the New Zealand College of Chiropractic. Dr Kelly Holt’s exciting work on the topic was first published in 2019, following collaboration with colleagues as far as Pakistan. The ground-breaking study looked at plantar muscle strength in stroke patients before and after one session of chiropractic adjustments. They found that “Plantar muscle strength increased in chronic stroke patients after a single session of chiropractic care. An increase in V-wave amplitude combined with no significant changes in H-reflex parameters suggests this increased strength is likely modulated at a […]
May 21, 2021
Although it may have not always been the case, we now accept that trust between patient and health practitioner can greatly impact how a patient perceives the quality of their treatment and the clinical outcomes. This is potentially as true for chiropractors and the people under they care for as it is for other health practitioners. It may feel like a given in today’s approach to healthcare, but how is this trust built? Why do we ‘click’ with some practitioners and not others? What is it about their interaction that sways us one way or the other? A recent study attempts […]
May 17, 2021
With opioid misuse or overuse remaining a major concern in Australia, the USA and other developed countries, it seems the light is shining on other ways to manage pain and improve function in chronic pain patients. Devotees of chiropractic and other manual therapies may already be reaping the rewards of care, but it seems we have a way to go before our offering is well understood by the wider chronic pain population. To this end, a new piece of research has used observational data to break down an interesting topic: what are the predictors of visit frequency for chronic low […]
May 7, 2021
With all we know about the brain, you’d think we’d have the full picture when it comes to memories. Yet research is still revealing more about things like Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), complex PTSD and other disorders. A paper recently appearing in the Asia Pacific Chiropractic Journal has thrown a new consideration into the fray though: could mind, trauma and muscle inhibition be linked [1]? And if so, what role would chiropractic care play in rehabilitation? The healthcare industry has come a long way when it comes to our ability to find and repair damage, and yet our understanding of […]
April 29, 2021
Migraine sufferers know the beast well. The throbbing pain, nausea, extreme sensitivity to light and noise goes far beyond the bounds of tension headaches. Lasting from hours to days, these painful events can render the sufferer unable to go about the activities of daily life. And by that we mean huddling in the quietest, darkest room you can find and hoping for the storm to pass. The question of how to lessen the frequency and severity of one’s migraines is a big question for many migraine sufferers. A new study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics has […]
April 23, 2021
When it comes to bearing the brunt of life’s hormonal injustices, it is perhaps fair to say that women got the raw end of the deal. Period pain, irregular periods, endometriosis, infertility and more are conditions that plague many women. But what can chiropractic care do about it, if anything? Often, these issues are ones that women tend to suffer in silence with the assistance of painkillers. But a recent case report and literature review appearing in the Asia Pacific Chiropractic Journal offers a little hope on the topic. As always, case reports cannot be used to make generalisations about […]
April 16, 2021
The opioid crisis has been a topic of concern for health practitioners for a number of years now. While the USA is the most affected country with 70% of all overdose deaths in 2018 involving opioids, many of the same issues exist in Australia and other countries, prompting calls for proactive intervention from health professionals. What then is the chiropractic role in this? Two papers have dropped over at the Chiropractic Journal of Australia, tackling this very important topic. Here’s the scoop. Opioid’s effectiveness in treating a variety of chronic pain conditions, as well as acute pain and cancer pain, […]
April 8, 2021
Chronic low back pain is an issue contributing significantly to the burden of disease around the world. This fact isn’t a new or surprising one. But as the study of pain and its impact on the brain moves forward, we are discovering increasingly that pain alters the brain in many different ways. It is no surprise that many of these changes are pain related but that’s not where the story ends. We have also seen literature that indicates diminished activity in the prefrontal cortex of the brain (the area responsible for executive function) and the cerebellum (which controls movement and […]
April 2, 2021
One of the things we tend to take for granted in life is the balance of the curves of the spine. From the first months in utero, to learning to hold our heads up, crawl and then walk, the body is ever so intelligently working towards a spinal shape that will carry us through the rest of our lives – upright, balanced, and with optimal neurological flow. Of course, life tends to complicate this by stress, injury and of course looking down at our technological devices (to mention a few complicating factors). These provide just a few reasons why chiropractic […]
March 23, 2021
Few conditions inspire the type of passion and debate that follows Autism Spectrum Disorders. Research is giving us increasing understanding when it comes to the different ways in which Autism and Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD’s) can present, and campaigns around inclusivity and neurodiversity are (hopefully) making it a kinder world into which people on the Autism Spectrum are born. Still, ASD’s do present a range of challenges for these neurodiverse people, their families and carers. So, what does all of this have to do with chiropractic? There have been a number of case reports looking at Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome or […]
March 15, 2021
It has often been said that chiropractors are doctors of the nervous system. The brain and spinal cord are what we care for, and this very brain and spinal cord connect via the peripheral nervous system to every muscle and fibre in the body. So, if this is true, then it logically follows that we should be about more than back and neck care. The effects of a nervous system that is running at its best should result in many other manifestations of improved health. Including neurological factors (where there is no outstanding pathology like a cancer or brain injury). […]
March 4, 2021
Just in case you hadn’t noticed, case reports have been taking up an increasing amount of space in journals of late, and our very own Foundation is moving to do some exciting work in this space, too. But with traditional thinking arguing that randomised controlled trials are the gold standard in evidence, it’s a good time to talk about why case reports matter. This just so happens to coincide with a thought-provoking piece authored by chiropractors Rome and Waterhouse, which appeared in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research just last month. In it, they present a well-cited, well-argued point that […]
February 25, 2021
A thorough history and examination is always an important aspect of the chiropractic experience. We know what we are looking for, and we know the red flags. But a case report appearing in the Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association presents a very compelling case for taking note when the symptoms change, or when something just doesn’t feel right. It covers the case of a 53-year-old man who presented to a chiropractor with lower back pain. This in itself was unremarkable. He was an avid golfer, and lower back pain is not uncommon in this group. What makes this case […]
February 17, 2021
When we hear the term “quality of life” it is usually used to describe someone who is aging, frail or in the grip of illness that affects their ability to engage with life in a healthy and vital way. Rarely do we think about quality of life outside of that construct. But perhaps we should, when the tools used to measure quality of life within a research context are actually measuring things like physical and mental wellbeing, social connectedness, daily activities, personal development or personal fulfillment and more. Thus, when some notable chiropractic research names decided to do a little […]
February 11, 2021
Rheumatoid Arthritis is one of the most common chronic autoinflammatory conditions observed in the human population. It is characterised by joint swelling, pain, and gradual degradation of the joint leading to decreased mobility and quality of life, making it a significant concern for sufferers. As Rheumatoid Arthritis is a complex disease, the genetic background determining the development of the illness is not well understood. Medical and pharmaceutical management of the condition is common, but what role can chiropractic play in its management? At least two case reports indicate this is a possibility. The first case, published in the Chiropractic Journal […]
February 3, 2021
To a professional or elite athlete, it is vital to have a body that is well-tuned and operating in peak condition. We have read anecdotal accounts of professional athletes, sports teams, and even the odd musical group who have chiropractic care as a part of their pre-event rituals. But do these people turn to chiropractic care in the wake of injury, or only use chiropractic as a pregame pep-up? The Journal of Contemporary Chiropractic recently published a fascinating case report of a mixed martial art practitioner who presented at a chiropractic clinic with a six-month-old injury that wasn’t quite resolving […]