Most people understand the importance of sleep in general, and for children in particular. The following patient-education article is intended to suggest the link between sleep quality and chiropractic care. Please feel free to use it for your bulletin board, lay lectures and front-desk handouts.
Common sense tells us that a good night's sleep contributes to good health. Statistical evidence strongly supports this conventional wisdom. Adult insomnia is estimated to cost $14 billion every year in the United States.1 The exact financial cost of sleep disorders in children is less clear, but emerging research suggests that pediatric sleep disorders contribute to attention deficit, hyperactivity, mood disturbances and memory problems.2
Last year, an international team of chiropractic researchers reported the case of a 3-year-old boy with disturbed sleep.3 He would snore loudly and have frequent episodes of breath-holding during the night. He would also wake up suddenly many times each night. The examining doctor of chiropractic found evidence of misalignment and restriction (subluxation) in the upper cervical (upper neck), mid-thoracic (between the shoulder blades), and lumbar (low back) portions of the spine. There was also asymmetry in the alignment of some of the bones of the skull.
Gentle chiropractic adjustments were administered to correct these subluxations three times per week for three weeks, and then once the following week. After this month of chiropractic care, the mother reported that the boy no longer snored or had breath-holding episodes. He was sleeping through the night without any sudden awakening.
This case is very similar to one reported by an Australian doctor of chiropractic more than a decade ago.4 A 12-month-old boy was waking up seven to eight times every night. After one chiropractic adjustment to correct upper cervical and mid-thoracic subluxations, he slept soundly for seven hours. At six-month follow-up, the mother described her son as a healthy toddler with normal sleeping habits.
Many parents of sleep-disturbed children are undoubtedly searching for nonpharmaceutical alternatives. While individual case reports are certainly not the "last word" in the research arena, it is important to point out that there is now a small body of evidence indicating that chiropractic adjustments can help children with sleep problems. There is no evidence whatsoever that competent chiropractic care can make these sleep disorders worse.
References
When sports chiropractors first appeared at the Olympic Games in the 1980s, it was alongside individual athletes who had experienced the benefits of chiropractic care in their training and recovery processes at home. Fast forward to Paris 2024, where chiropractic care was available in the polyclinic for all athletes, and the attitude has now evolved to recognize that “every athlete deserves access to sports chiropractic."
It is estimated that 61% of patients with CTS avoid taking surgical options due to postoperative complications and costly surgical procedures. Chiropractic care offers a comprehensive and effective treatment for carpal tunnel syndrome, addressing the condition from multiple angles. Recent studies also have unveiled a game-changing adjunct to chiropractic treatments for CTS: nerve flossing.
Some doctors thrive in a personality-based clinic and have a loyal following no matter what services or equipment they offer, but for most chiropractic offices who are trying to grow and expand, new equipment purchases help us stay relevant and continue to service our client base in the best, most up-to-date manner possible. So, regarding equipment purchasing: should you lease, get a bank loan, or pay cash?
