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        Cluster Headache Help and Support >> Medications, Treatments, Therapies >> Chiropractic
        
(Message started by: Mybelle on Apr 11^th, 2008, 3:20pm)

Title: Chiropractic
Post by Mybelle on Apr 11^th, 2008, 3:20pm

Has anybody tried chiropractic as part of treatment? I know it works for migraines and was just wondering......

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by Bob_Johnson on Apr 11^th, 2008, 3:43pm

I would be more inclined to ascribe any benefit to chiropractic being a form of relaxation therapy which benefits those who come to it with a prior belief that it will help--which is not to say it's bad, just that anything which help cope with anxiety is a benefit.
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Report of a study (from MEDSCAPE.COM):"Patients With Anxiety Disorders More Sensitive to Bodily Changes"

Sept 16 - Patients who have anxiety disorders appear to be more sensitive to bodily changes, which in turn suggests that the perception of panic attacks is reflective of central rather than peripheral responses, according to the results of a study published in the September issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

"Physiologic responses of patients with anxiety disorders to everyday events are poorly understood," Dr. Rudolf Hoehn-Saric and colleagues from the Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, write. They compared self-reports and physiologic recordings in 26 patients with panic disorder, 40 patients with generalized anxiety disorder, and 24 nonanxious controls during daily activities.

The subjects underwent four 6-hour recording sessions during daily activities while wearing an ambulatory monitoring device. The team collected physiologic and subjective data that were recorded every 30 minutes and during subject-signaled periods of increased anxiety, tension, or panic attacks. Primary outcome measures included recordings of heart inter-beat intervals, skin conductance levels, respirations, motion, and ratings of subjective somatic symptoms and tension or anxiety.

Compared with controls, patients with anxiety disorders rated higher on psychic and somatic anxiety symptoms. Patients with anxiety disorders also rated themselves higher on disability scales and on sensitivity to body sensations. Both patients with panic disorder and those with generalized anxiety disorder experienced diminished autonomic flexibility and less precise perception of bodily states.

Patients with panic disorder had a heightened sensitivity to body sensations compared with generalized anxiety disorder patients. Autonomic arousal levels were slightly higher in patients with panic disorder, and this manifested itself in faster heart rates throughout the day.

"These findings suggest that, after having experienced anxiety attacks that are associated with strong bodily changes, patients become sensitized to such changes and may experience physiological symptoms of panic attacks..." [In effect, their bodies are acting as if there was a threatening condition even when this was not the case.]

The investigators note that the diminished autonomic flexibility found in both panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder patients may result from dysfunctional information processing during heightened anxiety that does not discriminate between anxiety-related and neutral stimuli.

"It is important to measure physiological responses and not rely on verbal reports," Dr. Hoehn-Saric added. "A demonstration that physiological responses during anxiety attacks are milder than perceived can be reassuring to patients," he said. "However, the long-term effect of diminished physiological flexibility is unknown."

Arch Gen Psychiatry 2004;61:913-921.
________________________________________________
Imagine a person who is afraid of, for example, dogs and can experience an anxiety attack by thinking about meeting a dog or even seeing a picture of a dog. (Or, replace "dog" with your own feared thing/experience.) The anxiety is NOT being caused by a real life experience, in this situation (the thought or picture). The mental and body reactions which we call "anxiety" are a kind of habit response which are very real in their effects, however. Anxiety produces mind and body reactions which are measurable and have a real impact on how we function (and even on long term health of the body).

The anxiety becomes an automatic response, beyond direct control of will. With this development, the person has experiences (anxiety) which are confusing or misleading--they cannot separate the real life threat from their body's automatic ("I'm in danger!") reactions. When dealing with cluster, for example, the effect of this anxiety reaction (and this is true for depression also) is that the person has increased sensitivity and reduced tolerance for pain; their sense of suffering is elevated and the capacity for effective self-treatment is reduced.

Medication can dampen the experience of anxiety but it does not unlink the reaction from the underlying thoughts or misinterpretation about the situation. ("I'm in danger"; "this will never end"; "I can' bear the pain", etc.) Cognitive therapies have been very effective (especially when combined with short term meds use) in teaching folks how to break this link.

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by brewcrew on Apr 11^th, 2008, 4:49pm

on 04/11/08 at 15:20:15, Mybelle wrote:

Has anybody tried chiropractic as part of treatment? I know it works for migraines and was just wondering......

Yes.

And no, it doesn't work.

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by Karla on Apr 11^th, 2008, 5:52pm

yes, and no it didn't work.

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by Whipsmart on Apr 11^th, 2008, 8:39pm

I'm doing it now, only b/c my insurance pays for it. It also pays for a massage after the chiropractor appointment. I go every 2-3 weeks. They don't do any of the twisting and snapping at this place. It's mainly for relaxation, but it certainly helps the build up of tension that I tend to get in my neck and shoulders.

I'm out of cycle now. I'm not sure how much I'd want someone touching me during a cycle.

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by Superdave on Apr 11^th, 2008, 9:07pm

Yes, and no it didn't work

But the chiro said he could cure my headache

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by brewcrew on Apr 11^th, 2008, 9:27pm

Don't get me wrong - a good chiropractor is great for musculo-skeletal issues. I see one on average of about once every two months.

But they can't do jack for CH. Mine didn't say she could fix 'em - she said she'd try. That's the difference between a good one and a quack.

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by Terrell on Apr 11^th, 2008, 9:27pm

I tried years ago as well. They said they could cure it. I was in cycle. It was not a pleasant experience. And it did not work. I tried explaining to him that it was not like a migraine but he did not get it. I never went back.

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by Whipsmart on Apr 11^th, 2008, 9:49pm

on 04/11/08 at 21:27:08, brewcrew wrote:

Mine said she couldn't fix them. She said that she'd had one other clusterhead before and that he took relief from the tension. I don't pretend that it will fix my clusters, but I do hope it will help keep my muscles relaxed. If it keeps me relaxed too, that's a bonus.

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by Annette on Apr 12^th, 2008, 4:00am

on 04/11/08 at 15:20:15, Mybelle wrote:

Has anybody tried chiropractic as part of treatment? I know it works for migraines and was just wondering......

Treatment for what ? For CH in general or for your husbands headaches ?

No it doesnt work for CH.

Will it work for your husband ? Who knows, we still dont know what he has for sure, how can we answer your question ?

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by seasonalboomer on Apr 12^th, 2008, 7:23am

didn't work for CH for me. chiro thought I needed more sessions to really get the benefit of the treatments, I thought not and got to keep my dough.

Scott

Title: Re: Chiropractic
Post by mudplugga on Apr 13^th, 2008, 7:05pm

Many years ago I tried a chiro' who assured me that a few sessions would end my pain for good. He was a liar!

After a few months, and a lot of money I started to get pins and needles down my arm which eventually ended up with me losing most of the use of that arm.

Somehow I didn't associate the fact that the chiro' was trying to pull my head off to cure the headache with the new pain and weakness in my arm.

My doctor went mad, I went to a osteopath who also went mad, and told me that I now had permanent damage to my neck from this idiot chiro'. >:(

Because I was a willing patient legal action was considered risky. But 30 years on I still have problems, and he's still practicing.

Be very careful...................