n the April 20, 2009 issue of the scientific journal, the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, was a case study report of a young girl who had signs of cerebellar ataxia that were completely eliminated with chiropractic care. Cerebellar ataxia is a disorder that results in balance and coordination problems.

In this case a 7 year old girl was brought to a chiropractic clinic for health and wellness. In the course of examination tests were performed that showed a brain malfunction consistent with cerebellar ataxia. Chiropractic care was initiated for the presence of vertebral subluxations. The young girl was seen weekly in the initial stages of care. By the fourth adjustment the patient was re-tested and the specific findings of cerebellar ataxia were gone.

Author of the paper, Dr. Nicoleta Borcean explained this case by noting, “Basic science research shows that the proper development and function of the brain relies on proper structure and movement of the spine from an early age.”

She continued, “It makes perfect sense when you think about it” stated Dr. Borcean. “The brain constantly needs and wants to know where our body is in space. If there is interference with the neurological communication between the spine and the brain all sorts of malfunctions can occur.”

Dr. Matthew McCoy, a chiropractor, public health researcher and editor of the Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health added, “There are very important functional relationships between the spine and the brain that if disturbed can result in a host of problems with how the brain functions”. According to McCoy “Childrens nervous systems need the constant stimulation of movement in order to develop and function properly. Abnormal position or movement of the spinal vertebra can develop and this can lead to nerve interference. It is this interference, called vertebral subluxations, that chiropractors correct.”

The Chiropractic profession has long stressed the importance of a healthy spine for overall health and wellness. Now a study published in the August 16, 2004 issue of the scientific periodical, The Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, (JVSR) has shown that spinal hygiene actually does improve the measurement of quality of life.

According to the published study, “Spinal hygiene is defined as patient-active principles and/or practices conducive to producing a healthy spinal column and nervous system and preventing vertebral subluxations. This includes: improving posture, promoting proper exercise, making healthy nutritional choices, guidance in stress reduction, ergonomics, emphasis upon the patient’s self-responsibility and appropriate professional spinal evaluation and care.”

In the study a group of volunteer chiropractic students took a spinal hygiene class. These students were then compared to a group who did not take such a class. The results were then measured using two predetermined scientific formats for measuring quality of life known as the “Rand SF-36 Health Survey and the Global Well-Being Scale”.

The results showed that the students who participated in the spinal hygiene class showed significant improvement in a wide area of quality of life parameters. This was noted both in comparison against their scores before they took the spinal hygiene class as well as in comparison with the group that did not take the class.

The researchers summed up their study by concluding, “The practice of spinal hygiene procedures shows great promise in the vital area of improvement of quality of life. In a society where obesity and sedentary living are pandemic and spinal health is deteriorating, it is hoped that as health care practitioners these students will share and model positive spinal and neurological health behaviors to their patients and communities.”

The August 04, 2005 Business Wire ran story about backpack safety and chiropractic.

Dr. Kassie Donoghue, president of the California Chiropractic Association (CCA) states, “As the mother of an elementary school aged child, I know the pressure that comes from kids who want a certain cartoon character or color. As a doctor, I want to do what’s most important for my child’s long term health.” She continued, “Before going out to buy a backpack, it’s helpful to talk to your kids about the type of backpack you want to buy. By following a few simple guidelines, you can help your child choose a backpack they like and avoid serious back problems.”

When choosing a backpack for your child the CCA made some simple suggestions to look for. They include:

• Padded shoulder straps
• Padded back
• Lumbar support
• Waist belt
• Multiple compartments
• Correct size

“This is an important issue for doctors of chiropractic because we focus on wellness and preventative care,” said Dr. Donoghue. “Our job is to help prevent health problems and that’s why doctors of chiropractic are so concerned about children carrying backpacks that don’t fit well or that are too heavy.”

Dr. John Maltby, President of the International Chiropractors Association added, “Nothing is more important than the health and proper function of a child’s nervous system. The spine houses a major part of the nervous system, the spinal cord. A healthy spine free of subluxations is essential for nervous system function. Backpacks when carried improperly, or overloaded can be a major form of stress on a young developing spine, create subluxations, and can have serious effects on nerve system function and general health.”

Compared to years past, stories depicting individual chiropractors in a positive light are turning up more often than not. Years ago, the only stories the press would publish on chiropractors were attempts to show them as a fringe group well disliked by the medical community. Today very few of those stories arise and more of the positive stories hit the media.

One such story comes from the November 08, 2000 Birmingham News titled, “Chiropractor joins team providing actors’ health care”. This story is about two chiropractors who are brothers and who both take care of the theater performers in two different cities, Boston and Birmingham. The story is about how these two are relied upon by the actors to stay healthy and perform better.

Another article very favorable to chiropractic was from a Washington Post Staff writer. In his Nov. 6, 2000 article he recanted that prior to his back problem he though he would never go to a chiropractor in a thousand years. But after medicine failed him and his life was ruled by his problem, he decided to go. He spent the rest of the article bragging on how great chiropractic is and how it changed his life.

Probably the best part of these recent articles was a description in a newspaper of what chiropractic is by the Chiropractor they interviewed. In it this doctor said, “Chiropractic has a lot to do with the wellness part of peoples lives. After all, your spine protects your nervous system, and that controls your whole body. To be healthy, you want to make sure the nervous system is functioning at 100 percent. The misalignment of the vertebrae known in the profession as subluxation can cause a wide variety of disorders. These include digestive difficulties, sinus problems and allergies, along with the typical aches and pains of the neck or lower back.”

A good source of information on Chiropractic and children is the website of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association (ICPA). Their web address is www.icpa4kids.com. This site contains articles, information and research on health related issues concerning children. Their mission statement reads, “The mission of the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association is to bring the life saving benefits of chiropractic care to all children.”

Their website contains information for the general public about the benefits of chiropractic care. In one section, entitled, “Why chiropractic for children”, the ICPA discusses such issues as “Why should children have chiropractic care” and “Is chiropractic safe for my child”. The articles on this site are well referenced and thorough.

In addition to articles and information about chiropractic for infants and children the ICPA website also contains a vast resource of information on subjects that relate to child health and well being in general. Subjects such as ADHD, Asthma, Child safety, Scoliosis, Speech disorders, and many other topics are presented in articles and research in language that is easily understood. Additionally their website contains links to other health related sites on such subjects as natural child birth and vaccinations.

Two other sections that are well laid out and informative are the sections on family wellness and research. Each of these sections has large numbers of pages of pediatric health related information. If you are making critical decisions about the health and well being of your children or family, you should consider the website of the ICPA for valuable information.

Chiropractic was well represented at the 10th Annual International Congress on Anti-Aging and Biomedical Technologies at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. The chiropractic portion of this world-renowned program was hosted by the International Chiropractors Association, (ICA). As reported in the December 13, 2002 issue of the Chiropractic News from the ICA , the International Congress on Anti-Aging and Biomedical Technologies, was the world’s largest and most prestigious international conference on anti-aging science.

The chiropractic portion of the conference included authoritative chiropractic presenters who spoke on the clinical application of chiropractic in the care of the aging population. Dr. D.D. Humber, ICA President stated, “This inter-disciplinary professional conference represents an important frontier for chiropractic because in a segment of the population awash with prescription drugs, and where one-half of all emergency room presentations by Medicare beneficiaries are related to those prescription drugs, awareness of and access to the benefits of chiropractic care becomes an urgent matter of public health.”

The conference focused on a strong professional awareness and education. The conference brought together thousands of health professionals to explore the frontiers of prevention, health and healing. Dr. Humber further stated, “”This event provides the chiropractic profession with an opportunity to educate consumers, policy makers, and health care professionals alike on the value of chiropractic as a health care discipline that encourages wellness practices with their patients.”

Jonathan Lipnicki is the child star of movies such as Jerry McGuire and the two Stuart Little movies. He has been under chiropractic care most of his life. In fact, on one of his early interviews on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, he stated that he wanted to be a chiropractor when he grows up. Apparently his future employment will not be as a chiropractor since his acting career has continued to skyrocket. However, he still wants chiropractic to be a part of his life as he stated at a recent chiropractic convention appearance that he may not become a chiropractor, but he’d like to marry one.

Lipnicki, now 15, has also shown his love for chiropractic by taking on the role as a spokesperson for Pediatric Chiropractic. In an interview published in the January 2005 issue of Chiropractic Economics, he noted that he received his first adjustment when he was just a few months old and he’s been receving adjustments all of his life. He stated, “It’s a good way to live. You perform at your best, whether it’s academically or physically.”

He also showed his support for a chiropractic lifestyle in an interview for the February 26, 2005 issue of Dynamic Chiropractic where he commented, “If you want to perform at your ultimate best, if you want to be the best you can be in sports and in school, mentally, physically – chiropractic is the way, because everything has to do with your nervous system, and if you can clear up any subluxation in there, you’ll be pretty much OK.”

Lipnicki will be doing public service announcements and speaking to the press in a effort to raise the consciousness of children and their parents concerning chiropractic and a healthy lifestyle. He made his reasoning clear by saying in the Chiropractic Economics article, “I want to be part of the solution by telling kids. I love this wellness lifestyle.”

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA), is sponsoring Spinal Health Month in October. During that month people are urged to talk to your local doctor of chiropractic about the natural ways you can improve your spinal health and enhance your overall well being.

A national spokesperson from the ACA noted, “The goal of a doctor of chiropractic is to offer the highest-quality, professional health care, while teaching patients how to maintain their physical well being and a healthful lifestyle. Spinal Health Month is the perfect time to take control of your health by discovering this natural approach to wellness.”

The article published on Wednesday October 6, 2004 in Yahoo Finance, also notes that over 30 million Americans sought chiropractic care last year alone, and recent studies show that patient satisfaction is extremely high for those who seek care from a doctor of chiropractic.

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The article lists several recommendations by the ACA. They are:

• Don’t lift by bending over. Instead, bend your hips and knees and then squat to pick up the object. Keep your back straight, and hold the object close to your body.
• Don’t twist your body while lifting.
• Push, rather than pull, when you must move heavy objects.
• If you must sit for long periods, take frequent breaks and stretch.
• Wear flat shoes or shoes with low heels.
• Exercise regularly. An inactive lifestyle contributes to lower-back pain.

More people are visiting and paying for their care to go to chiropractors. This from a May 16, 2000 WebMD article reporting on a study published in the Journal of the Geriatric Society. That study of more than 800 patients showed that more than half of people over age 55 seek chiropractic care for mild to moderate complaints, without visiting their primary care provider.

The study conducted through 96 various chiropractic offices in 32 states and two Canadian provinces collected data on 805 eligible patients aged 55 years and older during a 12-week study period.

“Many of these baby boomers recognize that the old traditional model of health care that deals with trauma and emergency-type care is no longer applicable to a growing and aging population of chronic illness,” said Jerome McAndrews, D.C., a chiropractor and a chiropractic spokesperson. “Sixty million people in the U.S. have used chiropractic — 27 million in 1999 alone.”

The article listed the following as vital information concerning people who go to chiropractors.

• About half of people over age 55 see a chiropractor for mild to moderate complaints, usually low back pain.
• Patients with more severe complaints tend to seek both traditional medical care and chiropractic care.
• People who use chiropractic care are more likely to be focused on wellness, eating habits, and healthy lifestyles, and prefer not to take medications, according to a new report.

A study published on July 28, 2011 by the US Office of the Actuary at the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, revealed that by the year 2020 the cost of healthcare in the US will expand to $4.6 trillion per year. This study shows that healthcare spending is growing at a much faster pace than the US economy.

Several news outlets reported on the study including a July 28, 2011, article in the San Francisco Chronicle that posted some ominous facts about healthcare spending, noting that, “America’s health care bill will jump from $2.7 trillion this year to $4.6 trillion in 2020. It will take $1 of every $5 in the economy instead of the current $1 out of $6 and go from $8,650 per capita up to $13,710.”

A July 28, 2011, Health Day article published in the US News and World Reports that as we get closer to the year 2020, more and more of the total cost of healthcare will be picked up by the US government. Although still outpacing the economy, healthcare costs actually slowed in 2010 to only 3.9 percent growth. That number is expected to rise to over 8 percent as the new healthcare system is phased in, and the Baby Boomers get older and rely on more medical care.

Lead report author, Sean P. Keehan, an economist in the Office of the Actuary at the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services stated, “We have projected health care costs to grow at an average rate of 5.8 percent a year for 2010 to 2020.”

Keehan also noted in the study that the growth of healthcare would have averaged 5.7 percent between 2010 and 2020 if there were no new “Affordable Care Act” commonly referred to as Obamacare. This means that the effect of the new healthcare system is only one tenth of one percent increase in cost. However, the author notes that, simultaneously, by 2020, nearly thirty million Americans are expected to gain health insurance coverage as a result of the Affordable Care Act.

Not everyone sees the increase in spending as a problem. Some note that some of the increase is for preventative and wellness services, thus saving money and promoting health. Richard Hamburg, deputy director of the non-partisan advocacy group Trust for America’s Health, summed up his thoughts in the Health Day article by noting, “From our perspective, the great new investment in the Affordable Care Act is the attention to prevention and public health. Over time, investing in wellness and prevention programs will save money down the line; and while we save lives we will decrease the incidence of chronic diseases and save significant costs”. He ended by saying, “People will live longer, more productive lives.”