Actually, a question from a fellow practitioner/colleague.

by T.C. Halle, D.C.
(Los Angeles, Calif.)

I’ve appreciated your material on stroke and cervical spine manipulation (yep, very rare), but would appreciate proper citation of the articles mentioned. I expect I have them here somewhere, but you could save me a step or two.


Perhaps you could assist me with something else. I am presently seeking articles online or in journals, particularly addressing the "second leg" of the chiropractic subluxation/ fixation (AKA osteopathic lesion, or somatic dysfunction) related to the reality of visceral or somatic injury or disease reflexively causing (or predisposing one to) said spinal lesion...as well as the "thrown circuit breaker effect” (or “fixation”), in that the subluxation "locks in" an abnormal condition (and tends to persist indefinitely, absent manipulative intervention). D.D. Palmer did advise that toxicity could play a part in derangement of the spine, apart from trauma and postural assaults.

I can practically guarantee, e.g., that a patient suffering foot crushing injury from a motor vehicle driving over his foot, GSW of the thigh or a urogenital problem, will present with lumbar spine subluxation, and that a chiropractic adjustment will provide relief from spinal pain and stiffness, and support healing of the injured extremity. I just don't see a whole lot in the literature on this aspect of the "equation." I'm reasonably sure that some older accounts, such as those by Homewood ("Neurodynamics of the Vertebral Subluxation") did address this. Regrettably, I no longer have this volume in my library. And, more recent research would--of course--be valuable to the profession.


I have some valued chiropractic texts, such as those by Leach and Gatterman, but typically these authors seem to be weak in these specific areas, despite pretty good coverage of what is happening locally in the spine, and how this may impact the organs supplied by the associated spinal nerves.


THANKS

T.C. Halle, D.C.
Los Angeles, Calif.





Good morning Dr Halle,
Thank you for your thought provoking letter. Do you subscribe to Research Review Service? It's the best source of current research that I know of.

The somatic affects of the Chiropractic Subluxation are notoriously difficult to establish scientifically. Every chiropractor has strange and disturbing anecdotes, I certainly have my share, many of which I have written about in my Bernard Preston books (www.Bernard-Preston.com)

The most powerful lectures I have heard on the subject have been by chiropractic neurologist Dr Lisa Bloom DC. She gives intriguing glimpses into the basic neurology that explains how and why amazing things happen in chiropractic practices, quite apart from pain relief.

I couldn't agree with you more about the importance of chiropractic in managing injuries such as to the foot and ankle, and hip and knee arthritis too for that matter. But too prove it will take someone with more time and enthusiasm for research than I have.

Many thanks for your contribution.

Barrie Lewis DC



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