With researchers at the Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research at Palmer College of Chiropractic already hard at work on several research projects, including the recently reported study investigating whether a specialized chiropractic adjustment can help reduce blood pressure in hypertensive patients, the center is taking on another major project, this one a study that will explore the feasibility of chiropractic care for treatment of temporomandibular disorders (TMD). Palmer researchers are working in collaboration with the University of Iowa College of Dentistry and Institute for Clinical and Translational Sciences on the project, one of three research investigations being funded courtesy of the $2.8 million grant awarded to the Palmer Center in 2008 by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine, a branch of the NIH.
Eighty study participants will be enrolled and randomized to receive one of four treatment strategies: Activator-delivered adjustments to precise areas of the head and neck, along with an intensive self-care program for TMD management; a conventional dental splint used for TMD management and the self-care program; placebo and self-care; or the self-care program alone. All patients will receive treatment for two months and be tracked for an additional four-month follow-up period to gauge treatment effectiveness.
"The concept that manipulation of the upper cervical spine ... can reduce head and neck pain and reduce the potential need for prescription pain medications and improve quality of life are very important issues to understand," said Dr. Clark Stanford of the University of Iowa, who serves as co-leader of the study along with the Palmer Center's Dr. James DeVocht. "A novel feature of this study design is that the effects of each form of treatment will be evaluated in a masked or blinded fashion. This unique research design allows us to use the expert clinicians for each TMD method and therefore gives us the best chance to understand differences in efficacy of response to this innovative chiropractic method."
Explaining why it is so important to find reliable treatments for TMD, Dr. DeVocht added: "More than 10 million Americans suffer from head and neck pain related to TMD, with a lifetime prevalence of 45 percent and a direct care cost of $2 billion. This makes it one of the most common forms of chronic debilitating pain in the United States. Although many medical and dental treatments for TMD are available, few if any have shown any sustained efficacy."
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?
