The Chiropractic Adjustment Improves Pain and Reduces Inflammation in the Central Nervous System <Study>.
An interesting paper published in JMPT in 2016, once again reinforces the idea that there is a lot more going on with spinal manipulation (AKA a chiropractic adjustment) than you would think.
The paper, “Effect of Spinal Manipulation on Neuropathic and Postoperative Pain Through Anti-inflammatory Cyctokine in Rat Spinal Cord” looked at changes in an anti-inflammatory chemical in the spinal cord after an adjustment. It also looked at other chemical markers that cause inflammation. <- Don’t let the intimidating name fool you, this is a pretty easy to understand paper that explains how Chiropractic helps pain.
The anti-inflammatory was cytokine interleukin 10 and the inflammatory cytokines IL-1β and tumor necrosis factor α.
It’s not that important to understand what chemical mediators were changed. I just wanted to include it for those with an inquisitive mind.
Spinal Manipulation Improve Neuropathic Pain and Post-Surgical Pain.
Researchers measured the pain relieving effects of spinal manipulation using these chemical markers in neuropathic and postoperative pain that the researchers caused by chronic compression of nerve tissue (the dorsal root ganglion) in rats.
They were able to use painful stimuli to determine pain responses.
Interestingly, likely because it’s very hard to adjust a rat :), they used a mechanical type of adjusting instrument that is used in many chiropractic clinics to adjust the lower back region (L5 and L6 – they’re rats 😉 ).
After chiropractic treatments, the animals demonstrated improvement in pain tolerance and in measured neurochemical signs (increased the anti-inflammatory IL-10 in the spinal cord) of neuropathic pain, neurological inflammation, and improved neurological activation/excitability.
The big idea here is that spinal manipulation causes changes in the central nervous system related to improved activation (reduced pain perception) and improved ratios of anti-inflammatory chemicals.
These findings are very important because so many people (not just rats!) suffer with chronic pain that is ‘neuropathic‘ or post-surgical.
Chiropractic treatment can often make a huge difference in these people’s pain and suffering.
We see it so often on our Texarkana Chiropractic Clinic. Dr. Hagebusch, a Texarkana Chiropractor, has helped thousands of Texarkana area residents reduce pain, improve function, and get their lives back often in people that have had serious trauma like from a car accident or so often in people that have seen a dozen other doctors and specialists without ever improving only to come in and finally improve.
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Reference: Attenuation Effect of Spinal Manipulation on Neuropathic and Postoperative Pain Through Activating Endogenous Anti-Inflammatory Cytokine Interleukin 10 in Rat Spinal Cord.
J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2016 Jan;39(1):42-53. doi: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2015.12.004. Epub 2016 Feb 1. Song XJ , Huang ZJ , Song WB , Song XS , Fuhr AF , Rosner AL , Ndtan H , Rupert RL .
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=song+xj+and+fuhr
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