The April 26, 2004 issue of the
Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research highlights a literature review that
documents the health benefits that people without symptoms experience under
chiropractic care. Vertebral subluxations are misalignments of the small bones
of the spine that interfere with the nervous system, body function and health.
Chiropractors have long maintained
that people should not wait until symptoms appear before seeking chiropractic
care to address their aches and pains: that keeping the body free of
subluxation interference is a good way to help the body function better with
better health as a result. One way to test this is to take people who have no
symptoms, put them under chiropractic care and then monitor various body
systems for improved function.
The author of this study reports that
the available research does indeed "lend strong support to the popular
contention that chiropractic adjustments, for the purpose of correcting
subluxations, confer health benefits to people regardless of the presence or
absence of symptoms." More than 20 research articles collectively
documents "significant improvements in respiration, range of motion, heart
rate variability and autonomic function, endocrine function, cardiovascular
function, immune function, muscle strength and overall athletic ability of
"health" or specific-function "normal" individuals."
Improvements were also noted in "reaction time and information
processing, visual acuity, stress and reproductive hormones, healing/ recovery
time, general health of senior citizens, and reduced labor times of pregnant
women following or during chiropractic care."
The author concludes that since "these initial findings document
objectively measured physiologic changes and their associated health benefits
in nearly every major system of the human body, it is plausible that
chiropractic care may benefit every function of the body."