Attention Deficit Disorder (A.D.D.)
It all started when…
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD) is a psychiatric condition that affects about 9% of children and 5% of adults in the United States. The main symptoms consist of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Because this is a condition that can cause problems in everyday life, the people suffering from this disorder attempt to control it in some way. Even though this disorder is not life threatening, it can cause problems in school, jobs, and relationships, so a resolution is preferred by most individuals who have ADD.
Standard Treatments
It is reported that about 70% of the children suffering from ADD are being treated by psychostimulant therapy like Ritalin. These pharmaceuticals do show improvements in the symptoms, but there are adverse side effects that may outweigh the benefits. The most harmful of the side effects is that Ritalin is very addictive. If it is misused, the patient could become addicted to the drug and begin using more than prescribed. Due to the impulsivity of the patients, a large amount of them are pre-disposed to addictive behavior, so placing something like Ritalin or other pharmaceuticals as their primary treatment could create a pattern of abuse. Additionally, when individuals are put on medication as a cover up of their symptoms rather than attempting to get to the root of the problem, long-term results are not typically achieved.
Chiropractic Care Offers an Alternative
With ADD affecting so many people, doctors began researching treatment options to determine if there was a non-pharmaceutical way to treat the symptoms of the disorder. Some fascinating studies have shown that improvements can be made by simple chiropractic adjustments. One study used Torque Release chiropractic adjustments to eliminate spinal subluxations, and the adjustments improved the symptoms of children suffering from ADHD, which is similar and has comparable symptoms to ADD.
Additional Research with Great Results
Other chiropractic treatments, such as toggle recoil adjustments, have been used to address vertebral subluxations and have yielded results by reducing Atlas subluxations. The parents and teachers of one particular patient reported a dramatic decrease in hyperactivity after chiropractic adjustments and this allowed for an increased attention span. Utilizing these methods is a safe and effective way to avoid the standard pharmaceutical treatments that are used to treat ADD, and they target the root cause of ADD rather than simply suppressing symptoms of it. There is a growing trend today where people are attempting to cut back on pharmaceuticals, and studies have shown that chiropractic care is both safe and incredibly effective.
Other Behaviors Treated
In some cases of ADD and ADHD, there are additional symptoms present, such as aggressive negative behavior and sleep disturbances. One study showed that chiropractic adjustments helped a young girl who was having violent outbursts at family members and in school. After she began chiropractic care, her behavior improved and the violent outbursts decreased.
Positive Outlooks
The results of the studies are showing that patients suffering from ADD can receive relief in the form of chiropractic treatment. Since the effects of the pharmaceuticals are not positive in many ways, this is a viable and positive option to treat ADD now and into the future.
Call Hope Chiropractic, or make an appointment on this website to schedule your first appointment!
Sources
Bedell, L. “Successful Care of a Young Female with ADD/ADHD & Vertebral Subluxation: A Case Study.” Journal of Vertebral Subluxation Research, 2008 June: 1-7.
https://getgreaterlifechiropractic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/JVSR-ADD-ADHD-Bedell-3.pdf
Hodgson, N., Vaden, C. “Improvement in Signs and Symptoms of ADHD and Functional Outcomes in Four Children Receiving Torque Release Chiropractic: A Case Series.” Annals of Vertebral Subluxation
Research, 2014 April: 55-79.
https://getgreaterlifechiropractic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Improvement-in-Signs-and-Symptoms-of-ADHD-and-Functional-Outcomes-in-Four-Children-TRT.pdf
Stone-McCoy, P.A., Przybysz, L. “Chiropractic Management of a Child with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder & Vertebral Subluxation: A Case Study.” Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health, 2009 March: 1-8.
https://getgreaterlifechiropractic.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/11/Chiropractic-Management-of-a-Child-with-Attention-Deficit-Hyperactivity-Disorder-Vertebral-Subluxation.pdf
