Chiropractic helps immune system

Chiropractic care for more than back pain?

This is not a new finding; in a study published in 2005 in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (JVSR; http://www.jvsr.com), chiropractors working with researchers at the University of Lund found that chiropractic care can influence and affect oxidative stress and DNA repair. Oxidative stress is the means by which free radicals are produced in the body, which are commonly linked to the development of cancer. DNA repair is the method the body uses to reverse damaging environmental effects. These findings offer a scientific explanation for the positive health benefits reported by chiropractic patients.

The researchers measured blood thiol levels in several participants. Thiols are the body's primary antioxidants - they serve as a way to measure health status. 21 patients under short-term chiropractic care and 25 patients under long-term chiropractic care were studied. The thiol levels in these subjects were compared to those of a control group of 30 subjects who did not receive any chiropractic care. Long-term chiropractic care of two or more years was shown to re-establish a normal physiological state independent of age, sex, or nutritional supplement intake. Symptom-free or primary wellness subjects under chiropractic care showed higher mean serum thiol levels than patients with active disease, and produced some values that were higher than normal wellness values.

The test provides an indirect estimate of DNA repair activity, which has been shown to correlate with lifespan and aging.

Chiropractic aims to restore normal movement and position to joints of the spine and extremities, thereby allowing the nervous system to function optimally. This helps the body adapt to stress. For more information about chiropractic care, please contact Dr. Christian Prisco at Prisco Chiropractic and Wellness at (516) 423-9699 or ceprisco@hotmail.com.