Newsletter Articles
December 2024

• Seniors Under Chiropractic Care Have Less Chance of Falling
• Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Insomnia, and Long-Term Neck Pain Helped by Chiropractic

Seniors Under Chiropractic Care Have Less Chance of Falling

A retrospective cohort study was published on October 24, 2024, on the open science site Cureus that showed that seniors who are under chiropractic care have less incidence of falls when compared to those not under chiropractic. Falling is a serious and common problem for seniors. According to the National Institute of Aging, "More than one in four people age 65 years or older fall each year. The risk of falling — and fall-related problems — rises with age."

According to the Centers for Disease Control, "Falls among adults 65 and older caused over 38,000 deaths in 2021, making it the leading cause of injury death for that group. In 2021, emergency departments recorded nearly 3 million visits for older adult falls."

The authors of this study begin by noting that "Falls are a major concern for the growing global aging population. They can lead to adverse outcomes, including fractures and hospitalizations [2], and are the leading cause of fatal and nonfatal injuries among adults age 65 and older in the United States…" They also state that "Chiropractors are clinicians who commonly use spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) to manage spinal pain disorders affecting older individuals." For the purposes of this study, the term SMT was used instead of what is more commonly known as a chiropractic adjustment.

In this study, researchers review records from 116 million patients over a ten-year period to identify patients 65 or older who were suffering with spinal pain. They then narrowed the number of reviewed cases by removing patients with conditions that may make them susceptible to falling. Next, they separated the remaining reviews into two groups of those who got SMT and those who did not. They reduced the non-SMT group down to those that most closely matched the patients who got SMT. The end results of this process resulted in 1,666 patients in the group that got SMT and another 1,666 closely matched patients that did not get any chiropractic care.

After reviewing these two groups of patients, the researchers found that the group of 1,666 patients who received SMT had a considerably lower rate of falls. Those who did not receive SMT had a 42% higher probability of falling. The rate of falls for both of these groups was less than in the general population due to the study excluding those who have conditions that make falls more likely.

In discussion why the SMT group had a lower fall rate, the authors commented, "SMT has been shown to reduce pain in individuals with spinal disorders, and pain is known to increase fall risk in older adults." They also noted that SMT has been shown to improve motor function and sensory abilities in older adults which can enhance stability and coordination, thus helping to prevent falls.

In their discussion, the authors describe the importance of these findings. "Our findings hold potential clinical significance when considering the high morbidity and cost associated with falls in older individuals. Falls can contribute to pain and accelerate disability progression in this population."

The authors concluded, "Our findings, representing the largest study to date on SMT and falls, suggest a potential reduction in fall risk after SMT in older adults with spinal pain over 13 months of follow-up compared to matched controls."

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Insomnia, and Long-Term Neck Pain Helped by Chiropractic

A documented case study showed that a chiropractic patient was helped with chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, and chronic neck pain. The study was published in the fourth-quarter issue of the Asian-Pacific Chiropractic Journal. This study notes that someone can only be diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome if that person has been suffering with debilitating fatigue for more than six months and experiences no improvement from rest.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control describe chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), on their website as "ME/CFS is a biological illness that affects many body parts. It causes severe fatigue not improved by rest, problems thinking and sleeping, dizziness, pain, and many other symptoms. People with ME/CFS may not look sick but can't do their normal activities. ME/CFS may get worse after they do any activity -- physical or mental."

The CDC website also discusses the impact that CFS has by stating, "It's estimated that up to 3.3 million people in the United States suffer from ME/CFS. More than 9 in 10 people with ME/CFS have not been diagnosed by a doctor. ME/CFS costs the U.S. economy about $18 to $51 billion annually in medical costs and lost income."

In this case, a 60-year-old woman presented herself for chiropractic care. She was seeking help with her chronic fatigue syndrome, insomnia, and long-term worsening neck pain. All her problems seemed to have started three years ago following a motor vehicle accident. She reports that she no longer had the energy to complete her daily activities or engage in recreational activities she liked such as horseback riding. The woman had been irregularly attempting a variety of forms of care with no help.

After a thorough chiropractic examination and spinal x-rays, the patient was started on a concentrated chiropractic care plan. The study records that over that four-week period of care, the woman experienced significant results. During this time, the woman saw complete resolution of her chronic fatigue syndrome as well as a complete resolution of her insomnia. Additionally, her neck pain was completely corrected. As a result of her improvements, the woman said she had more energy and was able to return to riding horses and working full-time.

The authors of this study summed up this case by saying, "This case report details the improvement in CFS, insomnia, and neck pain symptoms and an overall improvement in quality of life following a series of concentrated Chiropractic care programs."