Over
2,500 out of approximately 3,000 newborn infants, ranging in age from
one
hour to 21 days old, have been treated for breastfeeding difficulties
over a seven-
year period with chiropractic spinal adjustments and cranial and TMJ
procedures.
The newborns were all delivered without drugs by a midwife either at the
Gentle
Birth Center (a free-standing birth center) or at home. The babies were
all very
healthy at birth, and the majority were seen by the pediatrician within
a 24-hour
period following birth. Birth trauma seems to occur in all babies,
especially to the
cranium. All the babies were unable to breastfeed with ease utilizing
proper
technique. All babies treated exhibited a unilateral or bilateral TMJ
syndrome as the
primary cause. In all cases, AK cranial and TMJ procedures, and/or
Upledger
cranial procedures, eliminated or greatly improved infant breastfeeding
performance
after only one adjustment, in 90 percent of newborns seen within 21 days
after birth.
The newborn is usually seen once a week for 2-4 visits. From clinical
experience,
the most dramatic and powerful single adjustment with a 99.9 percent
success rate
in eliminating and/or preventing breastfeeding difficulties occurs when
the newborn
is adjusted several minutes to 48 hours after birth.
Source: Victoria Arcadia, DC --, Dynamic Chiropractic, 2003.
Temporal Mandibular Joint Syndrome or TMJ as it is more commonly called,
is a
condition of facial pain in the joints of the jaw caused by misalignment
of the Jaw.
TMJ can be a frustrating and sometimes debilitating problem. Since it is
a problem
of the jaw, it affects us in some of the most common activities of daily
living such as
eating and talking.
TMJ Symptoms:
TMJ
disorders affect about 20% of the population, and that 20% spans all age
groups, pre-teen, teens, young adults, the middle aged, and seniors.
A
41-year-old woman who sought chiropractic care with complaints of pain
at the
TMJ on both sides, ear pain, ringing in the ears, vertigo, decreased
hearing ability,
and a sensation of pressure or fullness in both ears. She also reported
that movements
of her jaw while talking or chewing provoked pain at the TMJ.
Before seeking chiropractic care she was treated for her TMJ by two
medical
doctors. She was also referred to an eye, ear, nose, and throat
specialist, who
diagnosed her with TMJ syndrome. Additionally, she was referred to a
dentist for
the problem. Medical recommendations were to apply heat to the area,
reduce
talking and yelling, and change her diet to a soft diet. Even with all
this medical
and dental care her symptoms steadily continued to get worse.
Eventually she sought the care of a chiropractor. After an examination
it was
determined by the chiropractor that the patient had an Atlas subluxation,
(first bone
in the neck). Care was begun by a series of adjustments. After only a
few visits the
patient reported significant improvement in her symptoms. After two and
a half
months she reported complete relief from the TMJ symptoms. She also
reported a
decrease in the frequency and severity of her headaches. Prior to
starting chiropractic
care, she was experiencing 1 to 2 migraine headache attacks per month.
The effects
of the chiropractic care were long term as shown at her 1-year follow-up
where she
had not experienced any headache symptoms for a period of 9 months and
her
TMJ complaints had completely resolved.
Source: January 2002 edition of the peer reviewed scientific journal,
the
ournal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, (JMPT)
There
are potential solutions to the anguish of TMJ pain, and evidence
suggests
chiropractic may provide the best option. A recent study revealed that
chiropractic
treatment using a specific adjusting instrument eased patients`
discomfort after only
three visits a week for two weeks. Before treatment, patients reported
TMJ-related
symptoms lasting an average of eight years, but following chiropractic
care, they
experienced reduced pain and improvements in other symptoms, with no
noted
side-effects.
Source: DeVocht JW, Long CR, Zeitler DL, et al. Chiropractic treatment
of
temporomandibular disorders using the Activator adjusting instrument: a
prospective
case series. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics,
Sept.
2003:26(7), pp421-5.