Conservative treatment of a patient with syringomyelia using chiropractic biophysics protocols.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

To present a case of a 41-year-old man with syringomyelia and intractable pain and the subsequent reduction of symptoms.

CLINICAL FEATURES:

This patient acquired a traumatically induced syrinx in his upper cervical spinal cord after he fell approximately 9 feet and landed on his head, upper back, and neck 9 years before presenting for care. He was diagnosed with a spinal cord cyst (syrinx), located at approximately C2 through C4 after magnetic resonance imaging. In 1995, the patient underwent occipitoatlantal decompression surgery, which improved his symptoms for a short time.

INTERVENTION AND OUTCOMES:

The patient was treated using Clinical Biomechanics of Posture protocol. The patient was seen 26 times over the course of 3 weeks. His scale for pain severity decreased 50% and other subjective complaints decreased. His posture improved based upon pretreatment and posttreatment lateral cervical radiographs, showing a change from a 10 degrees lordosis with midcervical kyphosis to a 30 degrees lordosis. One-year follow-up examination showed stable improvement in the cervical lordosis and pain intensity.

CONCLUSION:

This case represents a change in subjective and objective measurements after conservative chiropractic care. This case provides an example that structural rehabilitation may have a positive effect on symptoms of a patient with syringomyelia.

• Authors: Jason W Haas, Deed E Harrison, Donald D Harrison, Brian Bymers
• Journal: Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics (J Manipulative Physiol Ther) 2005 Jul-Aug Vol. 28 Issue 6 Pg. 452 ISSN: 1532-6586 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 16096046 (Publication Type: Case Reports, Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Accidental Falls
• Adult
• Cervical Vertebrae (diagnostic imaging, pathology)
• Humans
• Lordosis (diagnostic imaging, etiology)
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Male
• Manipulation, Chiropractic
• Pain Measurement
• Pain, Intractable (etiology, physiopathology, therapy)
• Posture
• Radiography
• Syringomyelia (diagnosis, etiology, rehabilitation)
• Treatment Outcome
• Wounds and Injuries (complications)