• Smith D

• Dysmenorrhea

Clinical Features: A 36-year-old female with depression and asthma initiated chiropractic care with pain and stiffness in the cervical, thoracic and lumbar spines. In addition, she experienced regular tension headaches, a tingling sensation in the soles of both feet, numbness of the S3 dermatome, and dysmenorrhoea. Neurological examination revealed a bilaterally absent Achilles reflex. Radiographs revealed postural alteration, spondylosis of T10 and a posterior ponticle. Positive orthopaedic tests included Eden’s, Kemp’s, Ely heel-to-buttock, and iliac compression. Subluxations were detected in the patient’s left sacrum, thoracic and cervical spine. Intervention: The patient was treated with specific, high-velocity, low-amplitude adjustments to sites of vertebral and sacroiliac subluxations. The patient’s response to care ranged from a progressive reduction to complete loss of all reported symptoms.

Conclusion: Although it is difficult to accurately diagnose the exact cause of back pain, it is vital to exclude conditions that are out of the scope of chiropractic practice prior to adjusting. Possible causes of low back pain are discussed, as are the differences in primary and secondary dysmenorrhoea, and how chiropractic may help with primary dysmenorrhoea.

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