The Power of Chiropractic and Our Immune System

With the unrelenting winter trudging on and bringing the lowest temperatures in the past decade, there has been a large uptick in illness, with patients seeking healthcare providers with a respiratory illness being rated at a “High” level by the CDC (1). Making sure you are well adjusted can help improve your immune response and keep you healthier and your body has an optimal response when any virulent agent is introduced to the system. How is this possible? By reducing subluxation, we remove nerve interference. Our immune systems are not an isolated system from the rest of the body, there is constant crosstalk with our nervous system, which any interference can impact.

When your body is introduced to a foreign agent, our innate immune system comes in contact with the agent and the body will have some kind of reaction, releasing inflammatory signals to bring in more immune cells and more specific cells to isolate the foreign agent and destroy the pathogen. These inflammatory signals can also behave as neurotransmitters, which now can impact how the nervous system interacts with the area of infection and the response of the immune system. This also occurs vice versa, for example, when we have some kind of physical stimuli that we are allergic to, the nervous system becomes stimulated, which can in turn release cytokines that can impact the allergic response (2). With Chiropractic, we can directly impact the flow of the nervous system, reducing any interference by reducing subluxation and introducing proper motion into the spine. Each adjustment makes sure not only are our bodies feeling and moving better, but our nervous system is functioning at its optimal level.

Currently, mutations in strains of certain viruses are increasing virulence (the chance of infection), the particularly cold environment is facilitating significantly more opportunities for us to become sick, and our inability to be outside as much as we are in the warmer weather are all contributing to this winter being particularly bad for illness. Why would we allow for our immune system to be compromised further by compromising our nervous system? Maintain a healthy immune system and nervous system by staying well adjusted!

In Good Health,

Drs. Mark, Matt & Tami
(www.mifflintownchiro.com)

VALENTINE’S DAY SPECIAL

With this being the month of love, we will be making 14 NEW PATIENT APPOINTMENTS AVAILABLE FOR $27 EACH (NORMALLY A $170 VALUE)! These appointments will fill-up quickly, call and schedule before February 28, 2025. 

PS: Remember to check back often to our website.  Please leave feedback on the layouts!

PSS:  If you would like an email reminder of your appointments please stop by at the front desk and talk to Sharon. 

References:

1: https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/data/index.html#:~:text=As%20of%20January%2024%2C%202025,most%20areas%20of%20the%20country.

2: https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/immunology/articles/10.3389/fimmu.2022.984678/full

Newsletter Articles
March 2025

• Patients Very Satisfied with Chiropractic Care Study Shows
• Study Shows School Aged Children Benefit from Chiropractic Care
• Chiropractic Care Helps Women Pregnant with Twins: a Case Series
• Chiropractic Helps Patients with Cervical Disc Herniations

Patients Very Satisfied with Chiropractic Care Study Shows

The Journal of Patient Experience published the results of a study on December 25, 2025, that showed that patients who were under chiropractic care were very satisfied with their experience. The satisfaction levels of those under chiropractic care exceeded the satisfaction levels of patients under traditional medical care.

This study begins by pointing out that there have been many studies that show chiropractic patients have a high satisfaction rate with their care. They do note that no other study has reviewed these individual studies and combined them for a large overview. They explain, "Despite numerous studies that measure satisfaction in patients undergoing chiropractic care, these have not yet been systematically summarized. The aim of this study was to perform a systematic review of existing literature to identify factors that contribute to high levels of satisfaction in chiropractic care."

The researchers began by searching various research databases for all studies that contained some form of chiropractic patient satisfaction information. From an original number of 2610 studies, the researchers then began the process of eliminating all the studies that did not meet the highest criteria that they wanted for their review. At the end of this process, the researchers were left with 43 studies that met the highest standards they required for this review.

The 43 studies were included in this review were conducted in the United Kingdom, Europe, North America, Australia, and South Africa. The care that was delivered in all these studies included chiropractic rendered in a variety of settings including private practices, university clinics, specialized clinics, military medical centers, and therapeutic community facilities.

The patients in these studies sought care for a wide variety including spinal pain, low back pain, neck pain, leg pain, headaches, and musculoskeletal conditions, as well as care for specialized populations such as pediatric patients, pregnant mothers, older adults, military personnel, and athletes.

The researchers commented that through these studies, chiropractic patients had a high satisfaction level with their care. "Generally, chiropractic patients are very satisfied with their care with high proportions generating consistently high satisfaction scores. This includes patient groups receiving care in both the independent and public sector."

The researchers reported that chiropractic care had a higher patient satisfaction rating than other forms of care that the researchers described as "comparators" and included services such as home exercise, medication, or standard medical care. They stated, "For all trials, chiropractic care either alone or as adjunctive to other interventions generated significantly higher satisfaction scores than comparator interventions."

In their conclusion, the authors of the study summed up their results by stating, "This systematic review suggests that high and consistent levels of both satisfaction and positive experiences are widely reported in the literature concerning patients undergoing chiropractic care." They went on to explain some of the reason for such high levels of satisfaction by saying, "Factors influencing satisfaction included clinical outcomes as well as the patients’ interaction with their chiropractor."

Study Shows School Aged Children Benefit from Chiropractic Care

The Journal of Bodywork & Movement Therapies published the results of a study on February 19, 2025, showing that school aged children with a wide variety of health issues benefit from chiropractic care. The study data was tabulated and written by multiple authors in the United States, New Zealand, and the Netherlands.

The authors of the study begin by noting "Chiropractic care is utilized in school aged children for a variety of health complaints, including headaches, postural issues, nocturnal enuresis, neurodevelopmental disorders, and back pain." The study points out that there is an alarming increase in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDD’s) among children. NDD conditions include problems such as autism spectrum disorders (ASD), dyslexia, attention-deficit hyperactivity order (ADHD), and other neurological conditions.

The study reports that children are typically brought to the chiropractor for care with musculoskeletal disorders such as back pain, neck pain or headaches. However, there is a growing group of children who receive chiropractic for NDD issues. They state, "Chiropractic care for children has been used in the clinical setting to help co-manage individuals with NDD’s, particularly autism spectrum disorders, ADHD, and other behavioral disorders." They continue, "Previous research on chiropractic care in the pediatric population has also shown improvements in quality of life and a high satisfaction of care."

In this study, the health records of children between the ages of 5 and 18 who had received chiropractic care in a public-school setting in the United States were reviewed. Children were offered chiropractic care if they were identified by their teachers as having an NDD, or if requested by the child’s parents or caregivers due to musculoskeletal problems or other health complaints.

The records of the children included in this study were reviewed to determine the results of the care. The children were only included if they had received 12 weeks of continuous chiropractic care within the schools participating in this study. This study was ethically approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) of Life University, Marietta, Georgia, USA.

Results of the chiropractic care were evaluated by standardized scientific questionnaires, and by tests to determine neurological function. The questionnaires included information about the child’s quality of life, mental health, school performance, and relationships with other children.

The results of this study show positive changes for the children in the various areas that the study examined. The authors described the results by saying, "This retrospective case series in 180 children revealed statistically significant improvements following 12 weeks of chiropractic care in several areas." They elaborated by stating, "Statistically significant improvements were noted in the ‘health and activities’ sub-section and overall score of the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory™ and in the hyperactivity domain of the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire." The authors concluded, "These positive changes highlight the potential benefits of chiropractic care in addressing certain aspects of well-being and behavior of school-age children."

Chiropractic Care Helps Women Pregnant with Twins: a Case Series

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published the results of a study on February 19, 2025, documenting chiropractic care helping women who were pregnant with twins and suffering from a variety of pain issues. The study reports on three woman who were each pregnant with twins and suffering from pelvic pain.

The study begins by pointing out there is an increased prevalence of health issues associated with pregnancies of twins. They report, "Common complications in twin pregnancies include preterm labor and birth, preeclampsia and eclampsia, anemia, birth defects, miscarriage, twin-to-twin transfusion, abnormal amounts of amniotic fluids, increase risk for a Caesarean delivery and postpartum hemorrhage to list a few."

The first case involved a 33-year-old woman who was 28 weeks pregnant with twins. The woman was suffering with daily bilateral hip pain and back pain that was made worse by sitting and walking. She stated it affected her daily life and made it difficult to care for her 2-year-old. She also reported that her obstetrician informed her that both her unborn babies were in a breech position.

Specific forms of chiropractic care were started on her to address the subluxations that were determined to be present. As a result of her chiropractic care, the woman’s back pain was minimized and her obstetrician confirmed that both her babies had turned to a normal head-down position.

The second case was of a 32-year-old woman who was 24-weeks pregnant with twins. This woman reported that she was suffering with bilateral hip pain and back pain located at her lower lumbar spine. She noted that walking and bending over made her back pain worse.

Chiropractic care was started to address the subluxations in her spine. Because of her chiropractic care, the woman reported that her pain was greatly reduced, and she was able to function normally in her employment as an intensive care unit nurse.

The third case involved a 30-year-old woman who was pregnant with twins and who was suffering with daily back pain, anterior pelvic pain and bilateral hip pain. A chiropractic examination determined that subluxations were present. Specific forms of chiropractic care appropriate for a pregnant woman were started. Over the course of seven chiropractic visits, the woman’s back and hip pain were completely resolved.

The authors of this study pointed out that these results were not unusual. In a review of other scientific literature, they were able to identify multiple studies of chiropractic helping pregnant women. The authors commented that chiropractic care was a common form of non-medical care for pregnant women. They stated, "It is well documented that women of childbearing age commonly use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). In a survey of 10,002 women of childbearing age, representing 67.2 million women in the United States, it was estimated that 38 percent of all United States women of childbearing age (about 25 million women) were CAM users, regardless of pregnancy status."

Chiropractic Helps Patients with Cervical Disc Herniations

The 2025 first-quarter issue of the Asian Pacific Chiropractic Journal published the results of a case series documenting the care of two patients who were helped by chiropractic who were suffering with severe pain as the result of having cervical disc herniations.

On their website, the Cleveland Clinic describes disc herniations as, "A herniated (slipped or bulging) disk occurs when the soft, jelly-like center of a disk in your spine pushes against and leaks out of its outer ring. This can lead to pain, numbness and weakness in your neck, back or legs." They go on to further explain, "A herniated disk occurs when one of the disks in your spine (backbone) tears or leaks due to natural wear and tear or injury. This puts pressure on your spinal cord and irritates your spinal nerves, leading to pain, numbness and weakness."

In this study, both these patients had confirmed cervical disc herniations. Both of the patients were suffering with severe pain that was interfering with their daily ability to function. Both had been told by their medical physicians that they should have spinal surgery. Specific chiropractic care was rendered to subluxations of each of these patients’ necks to see if there was a change in their symptoms.

The first patient was a 57-year-old woman who had disc herniations in her neck that had been confirmed by MRI. The woman was suffering with severe pain radiating from her neck into her shoulder and elbow, as well as weakness in her right hand. She experienced severe pain when she moved or when she was sitting in one place for more than 5 minutes.

The second patient was a 49-year-old man who was suffering with left sided body numbness and severe pain in the left shoulder that severely limited his ability to move his left arm. Additionally, he had pain and limited movement in the neck and was suffering with dizziness. His grip strength was weak in his left hand compared to the right, and he stated that his left arm felt heavy and numb. The man also had pain in the left pelvis area that radiating down his left leg along with leg numbness. These problems caused him to walk with an unsteady gait and a limp.

Both of these patients received specific forms of chiropractic care focused on removal of vertebral subluxation found in their necks. Both patients responded well to care and with a reduction and elimination of their symptoms.

The authors of this study summed up the results these two patients experienced and how it had a positive effect on their daily lives by stating, "Both patients are now off their medications and feeling much better, with no plans now to consider spinal surgery. Five visits and 5 weeks later both patients were back to full time work with a few cautionary restrictions. They are treated once or twice a month and have active lives again today, where interaction with their family and hobbies resumed to the full."