Gentle & Effective Chiropractic Care In Canberra

In this article, I will present a summary of one out of many research papers that have studied NSA care. This research was ground-breaking at the time and conducted at Irvine College of Medicine. At that time, it was the largest study ever to investigate the field of well-being and quality of life change effects from a single treatment modality. 

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This study has special value to me, because I chose to become a chiropractor, only after I was shown how it could help me be able to improve people’s overall health, not just reduce their pain. I hope that tidbit of personal history helps you to understand why my focus at the Body Mind Empowerment Centre, is to utilise NSA care because I have found it able to provide a remarkable ability to enhance overall health.

Chronic pain: NSA care can also provide people who experience severe long term pain with sustained pain relief. If this is able to be provided, it is achieved by analysing for dysfunction & correcting it. NSA care is a particularly gentle, 'low force' method which most people find to be very comfortable and in fact, look forward to their NSA entertainment sessions.

“In a large percentage of individuals, Network Care (NSA) evokes a spontaneous self-perpetuating contraction of the paraspinal muscles. The movements may be very sutble, barely perceptible, or very obvious and may involve the arms and legs.”

— 1997 Irvine College of Medicine study by Blanks et al

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NSA care is a form of neuroplastic treatment. Neuroplasticity referes to the brain & nervous system's ability to change. NSA care uses gentle touches to the spine in order to stimulate the nervous system's capacity to learn what professor Blanks called "A strategy of self correction". Professor Blanks is the first author of the study I am about to share with you. This method trains the brain and nervous system so that the body can learn to reduce or even eliminate abnormal function that may be the cause of symptoms such as pain, but also many others such as weakness, numbness and tingling.

From Symptom Relief to Overall Well being

While I can't guarantee any specific results, I've also seen many cases, where NSA care has profoundly improved chronic high levels of tenderness such as that which occurs in fibromyalgia and repetative strain injury (RSI). I was particularly interested to see the the positive impact upon quality of life associated with NSA care which the Irvine study reported. These researchers found NSA care could also be an ideal way to create noticeable improvement in overall well-being. For example, this retrospective study of 2818 people reported 59% of patients improved on the overall quality of life index, and over two-thirds of patients showed significant clinical improvements in all of the following: physical state, mental/emotional state, stress evaluation and life enjoyment indices. 

For me, the implications of these findings, is that people seeking relief from various significant health problems, may not only achieve it but may also have those problems replaced by a more optimally functioning body. This then could enable them to experience a greater sense of well being and increased productivity.

Another very encouraging conclusion of the Irvine study was that 95% of respondents reported their expectations had been met with NSA care. Below is a summary of the published study conducted within the Department of Anatomy & Neurobiology, College of Medicine, and Department of Sociology, University of California, Irvine, California.

This study included people receiving NSA care in the U.S., Australia and other countries. It revealed than an increasing percentage of patients reported progressively greater improvements in the areas assessed overtime. That means, the longer they stayed in care, the more they improved in those measures. The subjects were studied for over three years, and the researchers did not find any 'ceiling' to the results over time. By that they mean, at the end of the study people were still improving. The benefits reported were evident as early as 1 to 3 months under care, and continued to progress. Further, investigators concluded that "... within the boundaries of this design, these findings provide substantial evidence that Network care should be included among those practices with established health benefits."

This now may still represent the largest wellness study ever to assess such a wide range of patient reported health and wellness benefits.

This study found the following health and wellness benefits for NSA care in a statistically significant number of participants:

1. IMPROVED PHYSICAL STATE RELATIVE TO:

• Less physical pain

• Less tension or stiffness of spine

• Improved allergies, eczema, skin rashes

• Fewer incidences of colds and flu

• Fewer headaches

• Less menstrual discomfort

2. IMPROVED MENTAL/EMOTIONAL STATE

• Improved positive feelings about self

• Less moodiness, angry outbursts and depression

• More interest in life

• Improved ability to think and concentrate

• Less anxiety and concern about vague fears

• Improved ability to stay on task - focus/concentration

• Less distress about pain

3. IMPROVED RESPONSE TO STRESS & LESS STRESS RELATIVE TO:

• Family

• Significant relationship

• Health

• Finances

• Daily problems

• Work

• General well-being

4. IMPROVED LIFE ENJOYMENT RELATIVE TO: 

• Positive feelings about self

• Interest in maintaining a healthy lifestyle

• Incidence of feelings of joy or happiness

• Confidence when dealing with adversity

• Experience of relaxation and well-being

• Compassion for and acceptance of others

• Feeling open when relating to others

• Openness to guidance by "inner voice"

5. IMPROVED OVERALL QUALITY OF LIFE RELATIVE TO:

• Personal life

• Oneself

• Extent one adapts to change

• Handling of problems in life

• Actual life accomplishments

• Life as a whole

• Overall contentment with life

• Significant other

• Job

• Life being what one wants it to be

• Romantic life

• Actual work done

• Co-workers

• Physical appearance

In addition to these categories, the study also found that NSA care resulted in a significant increase in health promoting practices and a decrease in health detracting practices.

Engaging the power of neuroplasticity

NSA 'teaches' the body how to make its own corrections. The chiropractor uses a range of gentle finger pressures in specific locations along the spine and body in order to stimulate a response. Just like with anything we want to learn, the more we practice the better we get. Therefore, these responses typically become more complex and effective over time. In summery, NSA care utilises our nervous system's neuroplastic capability to learn more sophisticated ways of coordinating a wide range of functions of the body in order for us to be able to heal & perform more effectively. The highlights from the Irvine study listed above, provide evidence for the role NSA practitioners can play as partners in the overall health care arena.

Who usually receives this type of care?

The Irvine college of medicine study reported that the following health & wellness benefits from Network Care appeals to highly motivated individuals who are interested in alternative care as a means to achieve holistic health enhancement. 

• 95% of respondents reported their expectations had been met; and

• 99% wished to continue Network Care.

Other research on NSA

Other research has now been completed that helps us to understand the physiological mechanisms enabling NSA care to achieve the above reported results. Three research papers supporting this are presented here.

Ways to evaluate and understand health 

The Irvine study divided healthcare into two quite different approaches:

• Biomedical model

• Holistic or Wellness model

The Biomedical model considers the symptoms of a person and his/her laboratory test results to assess the condition or disease. 

The Holistic or Wellness model considers the symptoms of a person and his/her extent of function, perceptions, and overall quality of life. This is very much in keeping with the definition of health as "a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being, and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity," which was put forth by the World Health Organisation in 1948.

Jason W. Barritt B.Sc (Hons) DC
Chiropractor

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References:

1. Blanks, R.H. Schuster, T.L., Dobson, M.A., Retrospective Assessment of Network Care Using a Survey of Self-Related Health, Wellness and Quality of Life, Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, 1997, Vol. 1, No. 4, p. 15-31.

2. The WHO definition of health is a part of the preamble to the Constitution of the World Health Organization as adopted by the International Health Conference, New York, 19-22 June, 1946, entered into force on 7 April 1948. 

Accidents, Injuries & Chiropractic

Sometimes our world can be a pretty dangerous place; many of us have experienced a traumatic brush (or collision) with reality. Accidents may be unavoidable, but much of the resultant pain and suffering may, in many cases, be safely and gently addressed with chiropractic care. That is likely because many people who have experienced trauma also have subluxations: structural spinal distortions causing nerve interference that can lead to many symptoms. I have been studying and practicing chiropractic since 1990 and have taken many seminars in the area of injury documentation and treatment. For more information about my approach to treatment please click HERE.

Chiropractors play a vital role in the care of injured people

Doctors of chiropractic focus on locating and correcting subluxations using relatively safe, gentle, “adjustment” techniques.

From what I have seen in my practice, people can leave the emergency room with as many subluxations as when they entered it. I lived and worked as a chiropractor for many years in the USA. In America, some hospitals have employed chiropractors to assist in these situations. I worked near Fort Carson, Colorado where chiropractors (commissioned military officers) had such long lines of soldiers waiting to see them with a range of injuries and symptoms including chronic neck pain, knee pain, shoulder pain and other issues that a few consulted with me, even though they had to pay for it, rather than wait in those long lines.

Physical problems after injury

Accidents can cause injuries leading to shoulder pain, arm pain, wrist, hand, leg pain, headaches as well as back pain, arthritis pain, and even jaw and facial pain. I have assisted many injured people with those symptoms. Some people present with one or two conditions and others have had dozens of symptoms develop as a result of a single event such as a car accident. For example, I had one person here in Canberra that was referred to me by her GP, who had 52 different symptoms.

Since, for me, one of the main objectives of chiropractic is to reduce nerve interference caused by spinal subluxations in order to restore optimal nerve function, and since chiropractic can, in some cases, profoundly assist the above-listed health issues, it's no wonder why 300 000 people seek chiropractic care in Australia every week. (Reference here https://www.chiro.org.au/patients/about-chiropractic) With NDIS, car accident insurance, DVA and workers compensation schemes paying to some extent for chiropractic care, people with access to those programs are seeking assistance after injury.

There is a substantial amount of scientific support for the use of chiropractic in the care of injuries. One example can be found in a British study titled Chiropractic treatment of chronic ‘whiplash’ injuries, “Twenty-eight patients were selected at random from chiropractic referrals for chronic ‘whiplash’ syndrome…” The patients’ symptoms before and after treatment were assessed blind by an independent chiropractor and an orthopaedic surgeon. The authors made the statement:

“… chiropractic treatment has been shown to be advantageous compared to conventional medicine in the treatment of low back pain.”

They then concluded “The results of this retrospective study would suggest that benefits can also occur in over ninety percent of patients undergoing chiropractic treatment for chronic ‘whiplash’ injury.” A follow-up study by some of the same authors in The Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine, reported:

“Our results confirm the efficacy of chiropractic, with 69 of our 93 patients (74%) improving following treatment.” The study concluded “The results from this study provide further evidence that chiropractic is an effective treatment for chronic whiplash symptoms.”

For more information on our experience in working with accidents, click here

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“You'll have to learn to live with it”

Many people have been told that they’ll just have to “learn to live with it," but it isn’t always true. Anyone who has been in an accident or had various forms of trauma, no matter how long ago, may still be able to make substantial progress in their efforts towards recovery with chiropractic care. I have taken care of dozens of people after hospital treatment for injuries ranging from fractured neck, fractured back and two cases of multiple pelvic fractures, to repetitive injury as well as work injuries and car accidents. While I cannot guarantee results in every case, I have seen many times when chiropractic care has made the difference between struggling with a life of pain, restriction and suffering to a life of ease, productivity and improved overall quality of life.

The Value of Experience

While it is not possible for any treating provider to predict the level of anticipated success in every case, over 20 years of experience helps me to assess injured people and have a reasonable level of confidence about whether or not I can help them to make progress towards a more complete recovery.

Having provided written chiropractic opinions as an official state “Independent Medical Evaluator” to dozens of car accident victims in Colorado, who were being treated by other chiropractor, I have seen cases where people have received excellent care as well as cases where that care was not ideal. This experience leads me to believe that it is important to do a very detailed initial evaluation, and if applicable, to then include treatment, in order to be able to make a prediction about whether or not the person is likely to make progress.

If, after my detailed initial evaluation, I find good evidence that progress is likely, then I will recommend a specific treatment plan with a thorough re-evaluation in 4 to 6 weeks. At that point, I will usually provide a detailed written report documenting my findings to the managing GP. I am usually also able to include notes on a range of symptomatic and functional improvements in that report.

Working As Part Of Your Accident Recovery Team

Several GPs and solicitors in the ACT have found that this approach has been helpful in better understanding the nature of injuries for some of their patients and clients. Another goal of mine is to document the negative impact that injuries have had upon the lives of my injured patients. I do this primarily to help me monitor the progress of my patients which helps me to ensure my treatment continues to be beneficial, however, in the process of doing this documentation, it can be very useful to the injured person's GP and solicitor.

I have benefited from physio myself and all of my children have sought assistance from physiotherapists. I have had some injury cases, where I have had the opportunity to interact with the patient's physiotherapist to the benefit of the patient. My objectives and methods are usually very different to the physio and a physio's work is very beneficial, therefore, with good communication, there are times where both chiropractic and physio together, can offer more to the patient than just one or the other.

Jason W. Barritt B.Sc (Hons) DC
Chiropractor

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References:

1. A symptomatic classification of whiplash injury and the implications for treatment. Khan S, Cook J, Gargan M. Bannister G The Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine 21[1] 1999.

2. Hadley LA. Intervertebral joint subluxation, bony impingement and foramen encroachment with nerve root change. Am J Roentgenology and Radiological Therapeutics. 1951;65:337-402.

3. Braaf MM, Rosner S, Gukelberger M. Trauma of cervical spine as cause of chronic headache. J Trauma. 1975;15:441-446.

4. Gukelberger M. The uncomplicated post-traumatic cervical syndrome. Scand J Rehabilitative Med. 1972;4:150-153.