Autoimmune Disorder

The chiropractic management of a paralytic autoimmune disorder Amalu WC. Today's Chiropractic. March/April 2002;51-57.

This is the case of a 33-year-old female with stocking-glove numbness, bilateral upper and lower extremity weakness and twitching and overall fatigue over a three-month period. Six months earlier she had awoken with numbness in her left pinky finger and within two months the symptoms progressed to complete quadriplegia.

MRI, CT scans, spinal taps and lab exams failed to identify her problem. When intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy brought cessation of all signs and symptoms, a diagnosis of autoimmune disorder with associated peripheral neuropathy was made. Her symptoms would disappear after IVIG therapy but slowly returned to complete paralysis until another IVIG treatment followed by 10 days of prednisone to counteract the side effects.

Chiropractic spinal analysis using infrared imaging, muscle analysis and precision X-ray analysis revealed upper cervical (atlanto-occipital, atlano-axial) subluxations. The atlas was adjusted knee-chest posture on the posterior arch. Post adjustment spinal scans revealed resolution of subluxation symptom complex. The patient was adjusted once weekly for three months of care.

Stocking-glove numbness increased for two days after the first adjustment followed by a significant decrease in symptoms including a mild improvement in muscle strength and fatigue. She continued to improve. Her upper extremity strength increased, she was able to increase her workload, had more energy, and discontinued her IVIG and prednisone therapy. After one year the patient continued her improvement; apart from some lower extremity weakness with stair use she remains active and symptom free.


Copyright 2004 Koren Publications, Inc. & Tedd Koren, D.C.