Remission of Headaches and Neck Pain Following Chiropractic in a Patient with NeurofibromatosisThe Chiropractic Journal of Australia published the results of a case study on February 8, 2022, documenting chiropractic care helping a patient with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1), get relief from headaches and neck pain.
According to the Mayo Clinic website, "Neurofibromatoses are a group of genetic disorders that cause tumors to form on nerve tissue. These tumors can develop anywhere in the nervous system, including the brain, spinal cord and nerves." Type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF1) is the most common type and can lead to a variety of other health issues including scoliosis, bone healing problems, bone cysts, bone thinning, and a variety of musculoskeletal pain.
In this case, a 25-year-old man who had been diagnosed ten years earlier with type 1 neurofibromatosis (NF1) sought chiropractic care for help with pain he was having on the right side of the head and neck for the previous six months. He rated his neck pain as 2 out of 10, with 10 being the worst, and rated his head pain as 8 out of 10. The man described his head pain as a pulsating squeezing around the right forehead, that lasted about an hour that occurred 2-3 times each day.
A chiropractic examination and x-rays showed restricted neck motion, multiple sensitive areas of the cervical spine, and a loss of the normal forward neck curve as measured on the x-rays. Based on the findings, and to assist with the significant pain the man was experiencing, chiropractic care was started daily for the first week. Within that first week, the man reported a decrease in his head pain from a previous 8 out of 10, down to 5 out of 10.
After four weeks of chiropractic care, the man reported a significant reduction in his headaches and neck pain as well as improved sleep and a decreased reliance on the medication he was taking for the pain. As care continued, the man reported continued improvement until he was asymptomatic.
Several months into his care, the man discontinued chiropractic and noticed that his headaches started to return. Upon re-starting chiropractic, his headaches quickly disappeared. New spinal x-rays were taken at that time and showed an improvement in his neck curvature over the original x-rays. The man then opted to continue maintenance chiropractic.
The study reports that five years later, the man was still under maintenance care and was asymptomatic with no return of the initial signs or symptoms while being able to engage in normal activities of his daily life. New final neck x-rays also showed a continual improvement of the man’s neck curvature.
In their conclusion the study authors wrote, "This case report details the long-term recovery of a patient with NF1 from severe headaches and neck pain following chiropractic treatment. It provides evidence and highlights the value of chiropractic intervention in improving neuromuscular functions and resolving cervicogenic headache in a patient with NF1, especially when the problems cannot be effectively solved by pharmacological or other conservative means. Chiropractic manipulative therapy may be a viable option as conservative management of musculoskeletal dysfunction resulting from NF1." |