Anxiety and Depression vs. Upper Cervical Care

"Upper cervical chiropractic care is a complementary strategy for depression"

by Dr. Larry S. Arbeitman
 

A recent article in the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research reported on a case series to evaluate a 12-session upper cervical chiropractic intervention for individuals presenting with anxiety and depression symptoms.

This prospective case study consisted of six adults with (1) at least mild to moderate anxiety and/or depression symptoms based on pre-treatment interview and scores on the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7) and Patient History Questionnaire 9 (PHQ-9) and (2) the presence of upper cervical subluxation. Participants completed the Symptom Checklist 90-Revised (SCL-90-R) pre and post-treatment and completed anxiety and depression measures weekly throughout the treatment. Marlboro-based Dr. Larry S. Arbeitman D.C., who follows health and wellness issues closely in professional journals and other publications, stated, “Participants received care as usual at the community practice of an upper cervical chiropractor who also had extensive post-graduate training in upper cervical specific chiropractic who was blind to the patient psychological data.”

Five of six patients completed all 12 recommended chiropractic visits. Repeated measures detected significant decreases in both GAD-7 and PHQ-9 scores across treatment. The SCL-90-R General Symptoms Index also significantly decreased pre and post-treatment.

The results provide tentative support for the effectiveness of upper cervical chiropractic care for anxiety and depression symptoms. “Four of the five study completers expressed satisfaction with the outcome and that they would recommend similar care to others with anxiety or depression,” Dr. Arbeitman related, “and participants also reported a decrease in muscle tension and pain and an increase in mental clarity and physical energy.”

“This is just one case series,” explained Dr. Arbeitman,“but with such promising results, further research is merited to investigate the relationship between chiropractic care and depression and anxiety.”

Larry S. Arbeitman, D.C. of Upper Cervical Chiropractic of Monmouth, LLC practices in Marlboro, at 25 Kilmer Drive, Building III-Suite 101. For more information on the Upper Cervical Chiropractic procedure, visit www.GetWellNJ.com or call 732-617- 9355 (WELL).

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

Upper Cervical Care and You Vs. Depression and Anxiety

A case study published in the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research on June 20, 2013, reports on the results of a case series showing chiropractic helping patients with depression and anxiety. This case series was looking for follow up on previous surveys showing that chiropractic patients felt chiropractic care helped with their mental and emotional states.

The authors begin by reporting that a previous study showed that in a survey of 2818 patients who completed chiropractic care, 76% of those patients reported a mental/emotional improvement, as well as positive changes in stress and life enjoyment over a period of several months following the chiropractic care. Additional prior studies also showed chiropractic care assisting patients with these types of mental health disorders.

This case series study involved six patients who responded to an Internet posting looking for people suffering from mild to moderate depression or anxiety who wished to be a part of a study involving chiropractic. The patients were not under any psychotherapy at the time and were given tests using standard scales of psychological testing to determine and measure their mental state prior to and after the chiropractic care.

All six of the participants also suffered from a variety of problems including musculoskeletal pains, asthma, hypertension, gastrointestinal issues, and sleep disorders. Those who were taking medications made no changes to their medications during the study to rule out any improvement due to medication.

For the purposes of this study, care was limited to only 12 chiropractic visits over a six week period. A specific analysis and form of chiropractic adjusting was used to correct nerve system interference from subluxations. To measure patient progress, a number of protocols were used both to monitor the chiropractic correction of subluxations as well as to see any improvement in depression or anxiety.

The results of the study were recorded for five of the six participants as one participant left the program due to a family emergency. The remaining five participants all showed positive results in most of the areas that the researchers measured. All five also showed positive test results for a decrease in nerve interference from subluxation. All five participants showed a "...significant decrease in depressive symptom ratings." All five measured a "...significant decrease in anxiety."

Additionally, four of the five participants who completed the study also reported a self feeling of improvement with their depression, enough to state that they would recommend this type of care to others with depression. Four of the five participants also reported significant improvements in the other health issues and problems they were suffering from at the beginning of the study.

In their conclusion the authors wrote, "The results provide tentative support for the effectiveness of upper cervical (neck) chiropractic care for anxiety and depression symptoms." They also stated, "The present study found reduction in anxiety and depression symptoms and reduction in overall psychological distress among individuals with mild to severe depression, anxiety or both."

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

One Parkinson's Patient and Upper Cervical Care

Parkinson's Sufferer has Quality of Life Significantly Improved Under (Upper Cervical Care)

The July 30, 2012, issue of the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published a case study documenting the improvement of a Parkinson’s patient using chiropractic care.

The author of the study begins by reporting that in the United States, 50,000-60,000 new cases of Parkinson’s disease (PD) are diagnosed each year. It is estimated that over one million people currently suffer from this chronic and progressive disorder.

According to the National Parkinson’s Foundation, "Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative brain disorder that progresses slowly in most people. What this means is that individuals with PD will be living with PD for twenty years or more from the time of diagnosis. While Parkinson’s disease itself is not fatal, the Centers for Disease Control rated complications from the disease as the 14th top cause of death in the United State."

In this case, a 63-year-old male pastoral counselor complaining of resting tremors of the right hand, anxiety and stabbing middle back pain, went to the (upper cervical doctor). His complaints started a year and a half earlier and seemed to start shortly after he suffered a severe case of the flu that lasted 2-3 weeks which caused him to lose 15 pounds. Due to his symptoms, he was diagnosed by a neurologist with Idiopathic Parkinson’s disease.

At the time the pastoral counselor presented himself for an evaluation, he appeared frail, had a low tone of voice, and had reduced facial expressions. He stated that he also works as a marriage counselor which increases his daily stress level, and he had been experiencing restless leg syndrome at least twice a week for the past two years which affected his ability to get quality sleep.

Multiple examination procedures and x-rays confirmed the presence of (head/neck misalignment and resulting neurological interference), most notably at the level of the top bone in the neck, the atlas. A specific course of corrective adjustments was initiated to correct the (misalignment and the resulting interference).

Following his first adjustment, the man noted an improvement in his tremors. After a week of care, he also reported an increase in energy. The study records that by the end of the second week of care, he had a greater range of motion in his neck and higher level of energy, allowing him to complete his week of work and participate in extra activities on that weekend. Shortly afterwards, his mid back pain also stopped.

In his conclusion the author wrote, "We conclude that improvement of the Atlas alignment was associated with reduction of most of his Parkinson’s symptoms including decrease in frequency and intensity of his middle back pain, improvement in his quality of life and improvement in his motor function."

(Editor's note: Remember the objective of upper cervical care is to correct head neck misalignment that is interfering with proper brain to body communication. When this is corrected the body functions at a higher level and can often correct other problems more efficiently on its own. Please do not confuse upper cervical care as a treatment for any condition, disease or symptom.)

Upper Cervical Care, Anxiety And Panic Attacks

Adapted from Question Answered

By Dr. Myron Brown

I received this question in an E-mail today. I thought that others might be interested in this subject, so the question and answer are copied below (the person’s name is omitted). This person has anxiety and panic attacks and asks if Upper Cervical Care will help that condition.

Answer:

Upper Cervical Care benefits people by correcting interference that can occur in the body’s central nerve system.

The brain is responsible to control and coordinate the function of the body and it uses a vast network of nerves, like a wiring system, to communicate with the various cells, tissues and organs of the body. The spinal cord is the main “cable” that carries messages from the brain through the movable bones of the spinal column. Those bones are intended to protect the nerves passing through them. However, if the head and neck get misaligned it can have just the opposite effect. Instead of protecting the nerve system, head/neck misalignment can become an insult to the spinal cord and nerves passing through it.

The resultant nerve interference can disturb function in ways that are both predictable and unpredictable. But either way, interference due to head/neck misalignment is damaging to the performance of the body. Simply put, it interferes with the function of the body.

Since communication between the brain and other body parts is essential to regulate body chemistry, deleterious effects are inevitable, while remaining difficult to forecast. When an upper cervical doctor identifies head/neck misalignment, he or she will endeavor to correct it, not to treat any particular condition or disease, but because good nerve supply is essential to the function of the body.

To address your question most specifically, I would not offer upper cervical care to treat anxiety, panic attacks or any other condition. Yet an important question needs to be asked. Who needs a good nerve supply more than someone who is experiencing anxiety and panic attacks? Precise upper cervical corrections allow for better performance. In my practice experience patients have reported positive changes in many conditions that were not predictable, yet through the correction of head/neck misalignment, they observed pleasing improvements in many facets of their family’s health and performance. So the right answer to this question is that upper cervical care is not for treating conditions, but to improve function. Every family member benefits from improved nerve system function. I would recommend finding an upper cervical doctor who can provide a precise spinal analysis and correction of head/neck misalignment to allow proper brain to body communication.

Head/Neck Misalignment May Cause What?

When the upper neck is out of position, certain nerves may be affected. If those nerves cannot supply your body parts (organs, glands, muscles, bones, etc.) with energy and information, they may not work properly and various conditions may result.

While there's not a 100% correlation between head/neck misalignment and a particular health problem, over a century of clinical observations have revealed that a wide range of conditions seem to be associated with it.

Your first bone in the neck is called C-1 but it also has a special name: the "atlas." Why? Because it holds up the globe of your head just as the Greek god Atlas held up the globe of the heavens. The second bone in your neck or C-2 also has a special name: the axis. That's because it's involved in turning, twisting and tilting your head.

Nerves in the upper neck area affect your head, face, upper neck, inner & middle ear, sympathetic nerve system, optic nerves, sinuses, mastoid bones, tongue, forehead, heart, eyes, auditory nerves, pituitary gland, scalp, brain and more! So many nerves are in this area that when the upper neck is corrected nerves all over your body, your spinal cord, brain, brain coverings (meninges) as well as your entire spine from top to bottom may be helped.

What can head/neck misalignment do to me?

Head/neck misalignment and the accompanying irritation to the nerve system has been related to headaches, migraines, nervousness, insomnia, head colds, nervous "breakdowns", anxiety, difficulty concentrating, ear infections, hormonal problems, menstrual difficulties, depression, "brain fog", low IQ, low resistance to disease, low overall brain function, digestive problems, sinus troubles, allergies, crossed eyes, deafness, eye troubles, fainting spells and seizures as well as many other conditions..

Upper Cervical Doctors are able to locate and correct those of your upper neck: your atlas and axis (C-1 and C-2). What can cause C-1 and/or C-2 to go out of place? Stress is often the culprit. Sometimes a difficult or even not-so-difficult birth can misalign the upper neck and cause body malfunction and health problems for someone for the rest of their lives. That's why it's especially important for these areas to be checked by an Upper Cervical Doctor as early as possible.

Other causes of head/neck misalignment include falls, accidents, getting knocked around playing sports, emotional traumas, chemical stress such as junk food and anything that overcomes your natural tendency to stay balanced.

By the way, there are many different ways of working with this area but Upper Cervical Care provided by an Upper Cervical Doctor will in most cases yield a precise and lasting correction to this area with NO forceful twisting, pulling, or popping of the neck.