Menstrual Problems Helped With Chiropractic - A Case Study
On May 23, 2011, a case study appeared in the scientific periodical, The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, documenting the case of a 21-year-old woman who had not had a menstrual cycle in 5 years, and was helped by chiropractic care.
In this case, a woman went to the chiropractor suffering from back pain and with a history of amenorrhea. Amenorrhea is described as an absence of a menstrual cycle for more than three months. In this case, the history noted that at the early age of 7, this girl started to have menstrual cycles. Her medical doctor treated her with Lupron injections, a drug used to stop menstrual cycles and the onset of puberty. At the age of 9, her medical doctor discontinued the treatment believing that the girl was old enough to start menstruation.
From the age of 9 until the age of 15, the girl's menstrual cycles were irregular and became less frequent, discontinuing at age 16. She did, however, have menstrual cramps without having a normal menstrual cycle. At that point, the girl was placed on oral contraceptives in an attempt to help regulate her cycle. However, the medication caused her menstrual bleeding to become extremely heavy. Additionally, the drugs negatively impacted her emotional state which eventually led to her discontinuing use of the medication. In addition to this, the woman also suffered a fall, injuring her lower back, which coincided with the total interruption of her menstrual cycles.
Upon going to the chiropractor, an examination was performed consisting of a postural evaluation, static and motion palpation, thermography, and surface electromyography. A determination was made that subluxations were present. Care was initiated consisting of regular specific adjustments for correction of the subluxations. As care progressed, the woman reported experiencing better posture, more energy, and improvement in overall health. Approximately 12 weeks into care, the patient reported the start of her menstrual cycle for the first time in 5 years.
Further examinations continued to show improvement with the woman's overall health. She reported a loss in weight, and the continuation of normal menstrual cycles. In their conclusion, the authors discuss how subluxations can have a detrimental effect on body functions including reproduction. They stated, "This case, as well as the reviewed literature, shows that chiropractic may play a beneficial role in reproductive health."