• Fonke V
• Fonke J
• Alcantara Joel

• Activator Method
• Adult
• Female
• Heart Rate
• Immune System
• Lower Extremity
• Sjogren's Syndrome
• Thermography

Objective: To describe the positive health outcomes experienced by a patient with Sjögren’s Syndrome undergoing chiropractic care for management of vertebral subluxation.

Clinical Features: A 48-year-old female presented for chiropractic care with complaints of numbness in her left leg and a medical diagnosis of Sjögren’s Syndrome. In addition to medical care (i.e., 7 prescribed medications), she received physical therapy for her symptoms. This included daily enemas for ulcerative colitis as a consequence of her medications. Chiropractic examination revealed autonomic nervous system deficits (dysautonomia) based on heart rate variability, thermography and surface electromyography. Vertebral subluxations were found at C1, T11-12, and L2, and at the sacroiliac joint, bilaterally.

Intervention and Outcomes: The patient received spinal adjustments using the Activator Methods (AM) protocol. She experienced a decrease in inflammation levels, reduced her medication, reported less stress in her life and an overall increase in energy following care.    

Conclusions: This case study demonstrated that a patient with Sjögren’s Syndrome can have significant improvements in autonomic nervous system function following spinal adjustments to correct vertebral subluxations.

Author Keywords:  Sjögren’s Syndrome, Chiropractic, Heart Rate Variability, NeuroSpinal Function Index (NSFI), Vertebral Subluxation, Activator Methods (AM), Adjustment, Dysautonomia, Surface Electromyography, Thermography, Immune System

This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher; full text is available by subscription. Online access only.