A study published in the November / December 2000 issue of Today's Chiropractic gives some insight into the use of chiropractic in combating asthma. Forty seven patients were observed for a two year period.  They had been medically diagnosed with persistent asthma ranging from mild persistent in 11 cases, moderate persistent in 28 cases, to severe persistent in 8 cases.  The care rendered consisted of specific chiropractic adjustments.  The range of visits was from 14 to 44, with the average being 26 during the study period. 
All 47 of the study patients showed "a marked improvement ranging from 87 to 100 percent." Their symptoms improved as well as a decrease in  their usage of acute asthma attack medication. Even more impressive was the fact that all of the patients in the study reported maintaining their improvement after a two-year follow up. 

Childhood Asthma and Chiropractic

Chiropractors suggest that there is a strong link between people who suffer from childhood asthma and nerve interference from subluxation. Subluxations are when bones in the spine pressure or irritate nerves causing abnormal nerve function. 

An article published in the Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research (Vol. 1 No. 4) showed positive effects of chiropractic care on 81 children with asthma. It concluded that "Based upon information currently available, chiropractic care represents a safe non-pharmacological health care approach, that may be associated with a decrease in asthma-related impairment, reduced respiratory effort, and a decrease incidence of asthma attacks. The correction of vertebral subluxation could reduce or eliminate the need for medication, and potentially ease the severity of the asthmatic condition."

This was verified in another study. In a study conducted in 1996 by the Michigan Chiropractic Council (MCC), a panel of doctors performed an out-come assessment study to test the qualitative and quantitative effectiveness of chiropractic care on children with asthma. There was an overwhelming interest in the study. More than 500 parents called the MCC seeking to get their child involved in the chiropractic study.
The study, which took place during May and June of 1996, examined the chiropractic effectiveness in correcting the cause of asthma in patients from birth to age 17. The average age of the participant was 10 years.  After 30 days of chiropractic health care, patients averaged only one attack, whereas prior to the study they were experiencing more than four attacks.  Medications were decreased by nearly 70 percent. Patient satisfaction was rated 8.5 on a scale of 10.  More than 70 chiropractors from 62 cities in Michigan participated in the study involving more than 80 children suffering from asthma.

The International Chiropractic Pediatric Association cites several studies when coming to the following conclusion discussing the benefits of chiropractic for children with asthma:  

76.5% of patients with bronchial asthma said they benefited from chiropractic treatment. Peak flow rate and vital capacity increased after the third treatment.  Significantly lower quality of life impairment rating scores were reported for 90.1% of children after 60 days of chiropractic care. During this same time period the average number of asthma attacks decreased an average of 44.9%, and asthma medication usage was decreased an average of 66.5%.  Among parents of asthmatic children who had received chiropractic treatment, 92% considered this treatment beneficial.

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