Complete Remission of Crohn's Disease with Chiropractic Care

The Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research published a case study on March 10, 2018, documenting the case of a man with Crohn's disease achieving complete resolutions of symptoms from chiropractic care. Crohn's disease is a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract that belongs to a group of conditions known as inflammatory bowel diseases, commonly referred to as IBD.

The study begins by noting that IBD is a common disorder affecting 1.6 million Americans, out of which 700,000 are classified as Crohn's disease. This disease strikes both men and women equally, is not more prevalent in any ethnic group, and typically affects those individuals who are either in their early teens or over 50 years of age. It is estimated that there are 30,000 new cases of Crohn's diagnosed each year with a total of 140,000 of the cases being under the age of 18 years.

According to the Crohn's & Colitis Foundation website, some of the more common symptoms of IBD include persistent diarrhea, rectal bleeding, urgent need to move bowels, abdominal cramps and pain, a sensation of incomplete evacuation, and constipation.

The patient in this case study was a 6-foot, 1-inch, 202 pound, 60-year-old male. His chief complaint was symptoms of IBD. He was medically diagnosed with Crohn's disease three years earlier. The man's symptoms included abdominal pain and cramping, stiffness all over his body, diarrhea and a generalized feeling of sickness. For several years, he was given a variety of medications which gave him no improvement in his original symptoms, but added a variety of worsening additional side effects. He eventually decided to self-discontinue his medications and seek chiropractic care.

A chiropractic examination was performed which included visual inspection, postural analysis, static and motion palpation, physical exam, and spinal x-rays. Based upon the findings of the examination, it was determined that multiple areas of subluxation were present in the man's spine, and care was initiated to address these findings.

After two chiropractic visits, the study reports that "...the patient reported a complete reduction in his symptoms, with an overall decrease in severity of symptoms from rare to no longer present. He did not experience any additional flare-ups or symptoms relating to his Crohn’s disease."

Nine months after the start of chiropractic, the patient went to his endocrinologist for a follow-up visit. The study reported that at that time "...the patient's doctor reviewed his most recent colonoscopy and declared that the patient had complete medical remission of his initial diagnosis."

The study authors explain the chiropractic approach by saying, "Chiropractic's philosophy in health care involves a vitalistic approach emphasizing the removal of interferences to the nervous system while allowing the body to restore itself to health, healing from within and going from a state of dis-ease to that of homeostasis."