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Asthma
Chiropractic Care Can Decrease Your Asthma Symptoms
According to a report from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the number of adults with asthma in 2012 was 18.7 million, and the number of children 6.8 million. Since then, these numbers have only been increasing. Many sufferers take prescribed medications, some of which have recently been scrutinized with respect to effectiveness and safety. What then is an asthma sufferer to do? Several studies indicate that chiropractic care can bring relief.
Drugs may temporarily reduce symptoms but ignore any underlying nerve disturbance.
How Does Chiropractic Help?
The lungs and diaphragm are situated in the thoracic cavity. The diaphragm is the primary controller of breathing, and the phrenic nerves control the diaphragm. The phrenic nerves extend from the spinal cord and pass through the vertebrae of the mid-neck. If these nerves are pinched because of a slight misalignment in the vertebrae (a subluxation), the signals from the brain to the diaphragm are compromised. If the nerves are compressed enough over time, they can die. By removing the subluxation and freeing these nerves, chiropractic adjustments help asthmatic symptoms by restoring the normal functioning of the nervous system.
Research
Several case studies, reports, and abstracts confirm that chiropractic care can have a positive impact on asthma symptoms. A National Institutes of Health (NIH) report states that:
“After three months of combining chiropractic SMT” (spinal manipulation therapy) “with optimal medical management for pediatric asthma, the children rated their quality of life substantially higher and their asthma severity substantially lower.”
The Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research states that eighty-one children with asthma who underwent chiropractic treatment over a two-month period saw a 45% decrease in asthmatic attacks.