Skeptics with a "K"

Just a quick note to say I was on the Skeptics with a K podcast talking about the Chiropractic/colic campaign. This was the first time I've listened to the podcast. With the exception of my rambling, those Merseyside skeptics have done very well. Very funny discussion of Genesis at the beginning. I will now become a regular listener.

You can download the episodes here: http://www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/category/podcast/. My interview is on #2.

Will Trading Standards now take on the General Chiropractic Council?

Sometimes the Trading Standards bodies I’ve written to get in touch with the GCC for more information. And, thanks to a trading standards officer in the Highlands, the GCC’s response is on the trading standard internal database. An officer in London who had received one of my complaints got in touch to ask about the evidence in their response.

I am extremely grateful that he did.

The GCC has been issuing a letter to Trading Standards officers considering action against Chiropractor practices. The letter appears to be deliberately designed to confuse trading standards officers and misrepresent the evidence – and it has managed to do that to great effect.

The text of this letter is available on DC Science blog.

Firstly, they include the text from their patient information leaflet:

Chiropractors mainly treat

• back, neck and shoulder problems
• joint, posture and muscle problems
• leg pain and sciatica
• sports injuries

You may also see an improvement in some types of

• asthma
• headaches, including migraine; and
• infant colic

So firstly there is some confusion here. If an improvement can be the result of chiropractic care, then why don’t they use it as a treatment?

“It is important to emphasise that the GCC doesn’t claim that chiropractors 'treat' asthma, headaches (including migraine) and infant colic. It is possible that chiropractic care may help to alleviate the symptoms of some of these conditions.”

What are they talking about? If chiropractic care can help to alleviate the symptoms, then it can be used as a treatment. The evidence throughout the asthma trials that they quote is clear: wherever the trials are properly blinded, it shows the treatment to be useless. I’ve been through the trials they’ve referenced for asthma: Brønfort in 1997 (note: I have not managed to find this paper – but the GCC’s letter acknowledges that this paper concludes that the treatment is ineffective), Brønfort et al 2001, Nielsen NH, Brønfort G, Bendix T. et al 1995 and Balon J, Aker PD et al 1998.

All these papers reach the same conclusion: the SMT (Spinal Manipulation Therapy) is ineffective in the treatment of asthma.

So what are they talking about when they say “You may also see an improvement”? Well the key word, I think, is “see”. While the trials they listed all reached the unanimous conclusion that SMT is ineffective in the treatment of asthma, Brønfort et al, 2001 (a pilot RCT) also found that the patients reported that their life had got better. But the paper did not compare this patient-rated outcome measure between SMT and control group. And the paper even states that “observed improvements are unlikely as a result of the specific effects of chiropractic SMT alone”.

So perhaps what they mean is that if you get chiropractic treatment for asthma, then you might think it did some good, however:

• Objective measures will show that you haven’t been helped, and
• You would have thought you’d been helped if you’d undergone a sham procedure too, and
• This information came from a pilot study and is therefore not particularly reliable.

When the GCC lists this paper as evidence, they only mention that “the children rated their quality of life substantially higher and their asthma severity substantially lower.” The GCC completely neglected to mention that this study concluded that SMT is ineffective in the treatment of asthma.

They then go on to list 3 more papers that they say “appear to echo the evidence levels outlined in the paragraphs above”:

a. Nielsen NH, Brønfort G, Bendix T. et al 1995. Chronic asthma and chiropractic spinal manipulation: a randomized clinical trial. Clin Exp Allergy Jan;25(1):80-8
b. Balon J, Aker PD et al 1998. A comparison of active and simulated chiropractic manipulation as adjunctive treatment for childhood asthma. NEJM 339 (15): 1013-1020
c. Brønfort G , Evans RL, Kubic P, Filkin P 2001. Chronic pediatric asthma and chiropractic spinal manipulation: a prospective clinical series and randomized pilot study. JMPT 24(6):369-77

But they fail to give any further information about these trials. Why? Why have they not quoted the conclusions, or sent the trial papers on along with their letter?

Why has the GCC not clearly stated that all of these papers conclude SMT to be ineffective in the treatment of asthma?

Why did the GCC list 4 papers that all concluded that SMT is ineffective in the treatment of asthma – but still state “although some clinical trials had positive results there is insufficient data to make strong statements about efficacy”?

Why has the GCC failed to reference the largest and best reported study of the use of SMT in treating infant colic?

How would the General Medical Council react if our GPs started advertising that they were willing to provide ineffective treatments for asthma?

Would they jump to the defence of those GPs?

Would they write letters deliberately designed to confuse Trading Standards?

Would they wait for a member of the public to issue a specific complaint about a specific practitioner before taking any action?

Would they publicise on their web site that “you may also see an improvement” if this ineffective treatment is used?

I think not.

The GCC is meant to be the body designed to regulate the chiropractic profession. With its actions, it has proven itself not only utterly incompetent, but it is actually protecting the very actions it should be regulating against.

The Trading Standards officer I spoke to yesterday was very much of the opinion that Trading Standards should be tackling the General Chiropractic Council directly. I am not sure if this is within their remit, but personally I am now shifting my focus in this direction.

The Quest for “Dr” Paul Homoky’s Secret Evidence

Following my previous post about how Edinburgh City Council now has secret evidence that Chiropractic is an effective treatment for colic, I have been pursuing two different routes to try and get at it. The importance of this evidence – like any evidence of clinical efficacy - cannot be overestimated.

Firstly, I sent the following FoI request to Edinburgh city council:

Hi Lynsey,

I am really quite confused about what has happened over my complaint, and really want to get to the bottom of it. Hence this FoI.

1. What are City of Edinburgh Council Trading Standards' criteria for sufficient evidence when assessing a claim to be able to treat disease?

2. Would City of Edinburgh Council Trading Standards accept simple case histories as adequate evidence when assessing the efficacy of a treatment to treat a self-limiting disease?

3. Would City of Edinburgh Council Trading Standards accept unpublished studies as adequate evidence when assessing the efficacy of a treatment?

4. What training do City of Edinburgh Council Trading Standards' Enforcement Officers receive to ensure they can adequately assess the validity of studies testing the efficacy of a medical treatment?

5. What is City of Edinburgh Council Trading Standards' policy for dealing with trading standards complaints where an assessment of the evidence falls outside the expertise of the enforcement officers?

Many thanks,

Simon Perry

I also contacted “Dr” Paul Homoky, asking for this evidence (see last post). I have now received his reply:

Dear Simon,

Thank you for your email. I’m afraid I won’t be sending you any information. I am far too busy helping patients to improve their health through natural, safe techniques and to help educate the public regarding prevention and lifestyle management. You and your colleagues have already sent an unreasonable complaint to the Edinburgh council and General Chiropractic Council without having even met or talked with me and discussed our approach. If you had done so, or even examined my website properly, you would have learned that we do not treat colic, nor do we claim to treat it on our website or in the clinic. We deal with spine and nervous system complaints, the treatment of which sometimes has a positive effect on other conditions too.

We are a reputable clinic with great success and happy clients. I do not have anything to prove to your sceptics society. Our mode of therapy is chosen specifically because it is safe and effective. I wonder if you have applied the same rigorous analysis to a wide range of medical treatments which are provided by medical doctors on a daily basis—many of which are proven to be ineffective, unnecessary and/or carry a high risk of negative outcome.

My new wife and I have had our first baby, and we would like to enjoy his beautiful entry into the world. Please do not send any further emails to me. I was happy to provide details to the Edinburgh Council as they requested, but this is, quite frankly, our business and not yours. I have taken the time to write this email to you because I believe you deserve a response. If you have any further questions regarding chiropractic care of the spine and any of its researched effects, please direct them to the British Chiropractic Association.

I wish you and your sceptics society well. I am a sceptic too—we have much in common.

Best wishes,

Paul Homoky, B.Sc., D.C.

Chiropractor

I don't think it is correct to say that he does not claim to treat colic. From what I can make out of the wording, he seems to say they don't treat colic, but colic is caused by misalignment of the spine and they treat misalignment of the spine. That would seem to imply that they treat colic, even if indirectly. The text on his site is as follows:

But chiropractic isn’t a treatment for colic! If vertebral subluxation is present, interfering with the proper function of any part of the body, restoring proper nervous system control allows the body to heal. This can happen regardless of age and regardless of what the symptoms are called.

So “Dr” Paul Homoky has decided to keep the evidence secret. All UK chiropractors are bound by the GCC’s code of conduct, which includes:

E1.4 must avoid conduct which may undermine public confidence in the

chiropractic profession or bring the profession into disrepute, whether

or not such conduct is directly concerned with professional practice.32

Now publicising irrelevant evidence, or evidence that has already been publicly debunked, is likely undermine public confidence in the chiropractic profession so it may be that this is his reason for not providing it. However, should the evidence be strong, it would of course undermine public confidence in the profession if he refused to provide it.

I will take up “Dr” Paul Homoky’s suggestion and ask the BCA if they are aware of this new evidence.

After my last post, Felix_the_Mac commented on why I had not asked Edinburgh City Council to provide the evidence for a second time within my FoI request. In reality, this might work. But I don’t think that’s the best approach. Once I finally get hold of the evidence, it’s likely to make for one amusing blog post and die away.

But in all likelihood I’ll get refusal after refusal. And that means I can drag this out for months.

STOP THE CAMPAIGN - Edinburgh City Council has got evidence that chiropractic is an effective treatment for colic

But they won't tell me what it is.

The result of my original burst of 80 odd trading standards complaints has been hugely positive. Most offices have responded with business advice that the trader should remove the claims and for the large part they have done so.

But interestingly, my complaint to Edinburgh City Council about Health for Life has so far resulted in a dead end.

Since your last e-mail I have contacted Health for Life regarding the treatment of colic. They have provided me with sufficient evidence to support their claims regarding the use of chiropractic for those with colic. In light of this, Trading Standards will not be taking any further action in this matter.

So, quite reasonably, I asked if I could see this evidence.

I regret that I am unable to provide details of the evidence and substantiation provided as this information has been obtained using powers provided for the discharge of my duties.

But this evidence is clearly important, so I wrote to Health for Life themselves:

Dr. Paul Homoky,

I recently made a complaint against you to Edinburgh Trading Standards regarding claims to treat colic using chiropractic on your web site.

I have been told by Edinburgh trading standards that you have provided evidence and substantiation to back up your claims. However, they are unable to pass this evidence onto me.

The importance of this evidence cannot be underestimated. I have made a large number of similar complaints to both trading standards and the GCC and have more ready to send out. Over 100 practices have already changed their advertising material. If there is good evidence in favour of this treatment that I previously missed, it is critical that I withdraw these complaints with immediate effect and apologise to those affected - therefore allowing children access to an efficacious treatment that is currently being denied to them.

If this evidence does not exist, it is important that I continue my campaign to ensure more children are not subjected to a pointless and potentially risky intervention.

But without seeing the evidence, I can only presume that Edinburgh Trading Standards has made a mistake in evaluating the quality of evidence on offer.

I hope you appreciate the importance and will be able to send me details of the relevant studies.

Many thanks,

Simon Perry.

I look forward to their response.

The chiropractor's web pages on colic are here and here. And if you're interested, City of Edinburgh Trading Standards can be found here:

City of Edinburgh Council
Services for Communities
Trading Standards
Chesser House
500 Gorgie Road
Edinburgh
EH11 3YJ

T 0131 469 5643
F 0131 469 5411

Chinese Medicine Allergy Tests in the Leicester HighCross Centre

Claims to be able to test for allergies using nothing but a lock of your hair should always be treated with suspicion, but especially so when the claims are made by a shop advertising Traditional Chinese Medicine.

But it’s always worth trying these things out, so a couple of us went along for a test. After a couple of weeks we both got our results with some added advice on which supplements we should be taking.

My results:

Low reaction to wheat, "pepper/spicy", nuts. Moderate reaction to dairy, caffeine, yeast. I could benefit from more chromium and valerian.

My friend's results:

Low reaction to Nightshade family, citrus fruits, salt, sweet, beet/cane sugar, house & dust mite. Medium reaction to dairy, orange and grass pollen. He could benefit from more Omega-3, Milk thistle herb and co-enzyme q10.

With the exception of dairy, our results were completely different.

Which is quite strange, since we both took in a sample of my hair.

I’ve written to the company to request an explanation and have not yet received one. Nor have they offered to refund the fee.

Please sign the letter to Trading Standards

UPDATE: We've now got 500 signatories and I'm preparing the letter to send off. Thank you for all your support.

You can sign the letter by filling out this form.

If you've visited this blog for the first time, here's a lightning-speed explanation: the evidence suggests that Chiropractic doesn't work as a treatment for colic, I made several complaints to trading standards about Chiropractors who were making this claim. Most trading standards offices have taken action, a few chiropractors are holding out. This last letter is to get those last few businesses to stop making unscientific claims about important issues of health. It will be mail-merged the details and claims made by approx 50 chiropractors.

While the names of signatories will of course need to be printed on the letters to Trading Standards, they will otherwise be kept private.

Please sign the letter.

The full text is below.

To Whom it May Concern,

We are writing to complain about [company name]. While it is up to you to establish whether this company is breaking the law, we wish to bring a possible infringement of The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 to your attention.

This company makes the following claims on their web site [web site url to be inserted here]:

[copied & pasted claim]

This text clearly implies that the company in question is willing to use chiropractic to treat infant colic. There is no reliable evidence to support the belief that colic is caused by a problem with the spine, nor that chiropractic is effective in treating it. In addition, there is reliable evidence from a controlled trial that clearly shows chiropractic to be no more effective than placebo.

Below are listed the studies typically cited by chiropractors to show that chiropractic is an effective treatment for colic. We have included an explanation of the trial and the conclusion that can be drawn from it. The final study in the list is generally ignored by chiropractors making this claim; however, it clearly shows the treatment to be ineffective.

Study	Summary	Conclusion
1. Klougart N, Nilsson N and Jacobsen J (1989) Infantile Colic Treated by Chiropractors: A Prospective Study of 316 Cases, J Manip Physiol Ther,12:281-288.	This study tracked 316 children with symptoms of colic during chiropractic treatment and showed that there was improvement in 94% of cases. However, this study failed to provide any evidence for or against the efficacy of chiropractic in the treatment of colic for the following reason: all children with colic improve over time. If all children improve from colic anyway, then showing that they improve after a certain treatment is unhelpful unless there is a control group not receiving treatment with which to compare them. This study contained no such group.	This is irrelevant. It is irrelevant because it cannot demonstrate that treatment improves recovery from the condition.
2. Mercer, C. and Nook, B. in the Proceedings of the 5th Biennial Congress of the World Federation of Chiropractic (1999)	This doesn't seem to have been published, so was not peer reviewed. As it seems to be almost impossible to get hold of the paper, there is very little that can be said. From the summary provided by the BCA, however, it appears that this was a simple observational study like the one above with no control group.	This is irrelevant. It is irrelevant because it cannot demonstrate that treatment improves recovery from the condition.
3. Wiberg J, Nordsteen J, Nilsson N. The short term effect of spinal manipulation in the treatment of infantile colic. A randomised controlled trial with a blinded observer. J Manipulative Physiol Ther (1999) 22:517-522.	This study was a randomised controlled trial comparing chiropractic with dimethicone in the treatment of colic. Without blinding between the two groups, it is likely that the placebo effect could play a major part in the outcome. The placebo effect is likely to be more pronounced with the chiropractic treatment as it is a more dramatic intervention. In addition, the system of measurement (asking parents to record crying hours) adds another potential bias. The parents who were keeping the diaries were were not blinded. Wiberg and Nilsson appear to concede this point themselves here: http://adc.bmj.com/cgi/eletters/84/2/138#124	This is inconclusive at best due to the lack of blinding, with the effects shown likely to be due to placebo and bias in record keeping.
4. Hayden & Mullinger (2006) Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice (2006) 12, 83–90.	This study did not investigate chiropractic, but cranial osteopathy. Even so, this was a preliminary trial. Preliminary trials are of too small a scale to reach a conclusion. They are used only to see if it might be worth performing a proper trial.	This is irrelevant. It is irrelevant because it does not study chiropractic.
5. Hipperson AJ (2004) Clinical Chiropractic 11, 122 – 129.	This was merely a report of two case studies. This is irrelevant for the same reason as Klougart N, Nilsson N and Jacobsen J, but with only two subjects.	This is irrelevant. It is irrelevant for the same reason as the first study.
6. Browning M. Miller, J. Clinical Chiropractic (2008) 11, 122—129	This study compared two different forms of chiropractic in the treatment of colic. Maybe they both work, maybe neither work. This study did not attempt to answer that question.	This is irrelevant. It is irrelevant because it did not test if the treatment worked. It merely compared two different types of chiropractic treatment. This outcome would be expected if neither method worked.
7. Leach RA (2002) J Manip Physiol Ther, 25, 58 -62.	Simply another two case studies as Hipperson AJ (2004) above.	This is irrelevant. It is irrelevant for the same reason as the first study.
8. Miller J (2007) Clinical Chiropractic 10, 139—146 Cry babies: A framework for chiropractic care.	This is not a study at all, we are not sure why it has been quoted by the BCA.	This is irrelevant, as it is not a study of any kind.
9. Nilsson N. 1985 Eur J Chiropr 33, 264 – 255 Infantile colic and chiropractic.	This is merely a survey of parents who have had their child gone through chiropractic treatment for colic. No parents who did not take their children to chiropractors were questioned, making this study even more poorly designed than Klougart N, Nilsson N and Jacobsen J.	This is irrelevant. It is irrelevant for the same reason as the first study.
10. Olafsdottir E, Forshei S, Fluge G, Markestad T (2001) Randomised controlled trial of infantile colic treated with chiropractic spinal manipulation.	AIMS: To investigate the efficacy of chiropractic spinal manipulation in the management of infantile colic. METHODS: One hundred infants with typical colicky pain were recruited to a randomised, blinded, placebo controlled clinical trial. RESULTS: Nine infants were excluded because inclusion criteria were not met, and five dropped out, leaving 86 who completed the study. There was no significant effect of chiropractic spinal manipulation. Thirty two of 46 infants in the treatment group (69.9%), and 24 of 40 in the control group (60.0%), showed some degree of improvement. CONCLUSION: Chiropractic spinal manipulation is no more effective than placebo in the treatment of infantile colic. This study emphasises the need for placebo controlled and blinded studies when investigating alternative methods to treat unpredictable conditions such as infantile colic. This is the only properly conducted trial comparing chiropractic against placebo for the treatment of colic. The conclusion is that it simply does not work.	This is highly relevant, and clearly shows that chiropractic spinal manipulation is no more effective than placebo in the treatment of infantile colic.

Part 2, Section 5 of the regulations list misleading actions as below. You can see from the text below that a trader is in breach if they present information in a way that is misleading even if it is factually accurate. For instance, a trader presenting a testimonial from a client promoting efficacy or even just stating "some parents have found chiropractic useful in treating colic" or a trader citing a poorly conducted trial as evidence without informing the potential customer of a well conducted trial showing the opposite outcome is therefore performing a misleading action under the regulations.

Misleading actions
5.—(1) A commercial practice is a misleading action if it satisfies the conditions in either paragraph (2) or paragraph (3).
(2) A commercial practice satisfies the conditions of this paragraph—
(a)if it contains false information and is therefore untruthful in relation to any of the matters in paragraph (4) or if it or its overall presentation in any way deceives or is likely to deceive the average consumer in relation to any of the matters in that paragraph, even if the information is factually correct; and
(b)it causes or is likely to cause the average consumer to take a transactional decision he would not have taken otherwise.

According to The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, the onus of evidence relating to any factual claim is on the company making the claim. So it is not a requirement that a prosecutor proves that the claims are factually incorrect, rather it is a requirement that the company must be able to show that their claims are backed by adequate evidence. Section 27 of the regulations state:

(1) This section applies where an application for an enforcement order or for an interim enforcement order is made in respect of a Community infringement involving a contravention of Directive 2005/29/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 May 2005 concerning unfair business-to-consumer commercial practices in the internal market.
(2) For the purposes of considering the application the court may require the person named in the application to provide evidence as to the accuracy of any factual claim made as part of a commercial practice of that person if, taking into account the legitimate interests of that person and any other party to the proceedings, it appears appropriate in the circumstances.
(3) If, having been required under subsection (2) to provide evidence as to the accuracy of a factual claim, a person—
(a) fails to provide such evidence, or
(b) provides evidence as to the accuracy of the factual claim that the court considers inadequate,
the court may consider that the factual claim is inaccurate

As an enforcement authority, you also have the right to demand any documentation, such as their evidence for the claim, from the company. Section 21 (b) states "if he has reasonable cause to suspect that a breach of these Regulations has been committed, he may, for the purpose of ascertaining whether it has been committed, require any trader to produce any documents relating to his business and may take copies of, or of any entry in, any such document;"

So, to summarise the points above:

• The consumer protection regulations cover the overall impression given by the trader and the trader may be in breech even if the actual claims are factually accurate.
• The consumer protection regulations require the trader to provide evidence for any claims they make, rather than the prosecutor needing to prove those claims to be false.
• The evidence we have found from chiropractic organisations so far appears not to be relevant to the question of efficacy in all but one study. In the one study where it is relevant it appears to be inconclusive, with a complete lack of blinding.
• The only properly conducted trial of the use of chiropractic in treating colic shows this treatment to be no more effective than placebo.
• While prosecution can proceed solely on the grounds that the company provides no evidence, or inadequate evidence; your position is much stronger: the best evidence available clearly shows this treatment to be ineffective.

We have only checked the claims on this company's web site. They may also be making similar claims in leaflets within their practice, or their advice to their customers. We hope you will be able to visit the practice to ensure compliance with the law.

While we have focused on colic for the purposes of this letter, we have also found some practices also claiming to treat children for sleeping and feeding problems, ear infections, asthma and prolonged crying. The evidence for chiropractic's efficacy for these treatments is similar to that for colic above. We sincerely hope you will take similar action against any such claims.

Yours faithfully,

[list of names, titles etc]

You can sign the letter by filling out this form.

56 Chiropractor Practices Still Holding Out With Colic Claims

The vast majority of BCA chiropractors have now removed their claims to treat colic as a result of my previous letters and the campaign by Zeno.

But still 56 practices still hold out, with the claims still available on their web site. I have listed the text of these claims below. It's a bit of a risk to actually list the practice names online. I will be putting the final revision of the letter online soon, once it's been checked by the legal folk.

In the meantime, please join the Facebook group so I will alert you when the letter is ready and we can begin accepting signatories.

			Summary of Web Site
			There is some evidence, though more research is needed, that you may see improvements in some types of: Asthma Headaches, including migraine Infant colic
			The use of these Specialist Techniques allows us to diagnose and treat a diverse spectrum of conditions. These range from headaches, sciatica and back pain to those conditions that people many not realise Chiropractic could help such as feeding and sleeping difficulties in babies, colic and dyspraxia. We are also able to treat conditions that affect women in pregnancy.
			Here are some conditions and injuries we regularly treat: Neck-, shoulder-, arm pain, Back-, hip-, thigh-, knee and lower leg pain, Sciatica, Pain in the wrists, hands and fingers, Pain in the ankles, feet and toes, Headache and Migraine, Face and Jaw pain (TMJ), Ear ache (Otitis media), Dizziness and Vertigo, Disc herniation (slipped discs), Joint sprains, Muscle strains, RSI, Tendinitis, Tenosynovitis, Bursitis, Coccydynia, Colic, Bedwetting (Nocturnal enuresis), Scoliosis, Tennis and Golfers Elbow, Sports injuries, Posture, Postural problems, Muscle Imbalances, Torticollis, Facet joint sprains, Sacroiliac joint sprains, Pelvic Dysfunction, Frozen Shoulder, Rotator Cuff Tendonitis, Achilles Tendon Problems, Hamstring Problems, Thoracic Outlet Syndrome, Rib Pain, Lumbago, Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS), Rheumatism, Spondylosis, Fibrositis, Osteoarthrits, Joint and Muscle pain
			Many chiropractors regularly report success in treating babies with colic, cases of asthma and high blood pressure, digestive complaints, period pain and many other conditions which are not directly related to the spine and joints. As a result, researchers all over the world, including the Anglo European College of Chiropractic and the British College of Chiropractic are also investigating the effect chiropractic has on pain and disease in the organs of the body.
			Although a natural process, birth is sometimes traumatic for both mother and baby, Chiropractic may help you and your baby recover from any birth trauma. Treatment aims to relieve the stress that can affect your baby's neck and head, especially if forceps or other medical assistance was involved, or if it was a breech birth. There is evidence to show that chiropractic care has helped children with the following symptoms: Asthma Bedwetting Breathing difficulties Colic Frequent infections, especially in the ears Hyperactivity Prolonged crying Sleep and feeding problems
			Chiropractic care can help children with asthma colic prolonged crying sleeping and feeding problems breathing difficulties hyperactivity bedwetting frequent infections especially in the ears
			Who should I consider recommending to a chiropractor? There is strong research evidence in the literature for the benefit of chiropractic for: Lower back pain Neck pain Whiplash type trauma in the absence of frank tissue damage. Tension headaches There is weaker evidence of benefit in: Asthma Digestive disorders Migraine Infantile colic Menstrual pains
			There is some evidence, though more research is needed, that you may see an improvement in some types of: asthma infant colic
			Other Conditions also treated Asthma Digestive disorders Migraine Infant Colic Menstrual Pains Glue-ear
			Because the aim of chiropractic treatment is to help your nervous system (that controls everything in your body including your immune system) to function properly, chiropractic treatment results in many positive effects througout your body. Chiropractic is certainly not a cure-all: instead it assists your body's own healing systems to do their job of keeping you healthy. So as well as being great for back pain, chiropractic treatment has been shown to be effective at improving many problems including: Back pain Neck pain Headaches and migraines Pain in hips, buttocks & legs (sciatica pain) Tennis elbow Whiplash Degenerative arthritis pain Disc degeneration Herniated disc Poor posture Foot pain Curvature of the spine (scoliosis) Carpal tunnel syndrome Sports injuries Tendonitis Golfers elbow Shoulder pain Elbow, wrist, hand and finger pain Fibromyalgia Breathing problems Ear infections Colic Back ache during pregnancy Menstrual cramps Workplace injuries Breathing problems Spondylosis
			Many chiropractors regularly report success in treating babies with colic, cases of asthma and high blood pressure, digestive complaints, period pain and many other conditions which are not directly related to the spine and joints.
			Many chiropractors regularly report success in treating cases of asthma, high blood pressure, digestive complaints, period pain, babies with colic and many other conditions, which may not be directly related to the spine and joints.
			All ages can benefit from Chiropractic care - from infants just a couple of weeks old - suffering from colic - to people well into their nineties.
			If your baby suffers from colic, there are a few things that you can do to help: Seek regular chiropractic care, especially during the first four months.
			There is some evidence, though more research is needed, that you may see improvements in some types of: Asthma Headaches, including migraine Infant colic
			...chiropractic adjustments. Even so-called "natural" birthing methods can stress a still-developing spine. The resulting irritation to the nervous system can be the cause of many newborn health complaints. Colic, unexplained crying, poor appetite, breathing problems, and allergic reactions can often be traced to nervous system dysfunction caused by a malfunctioning spine. Head support, followed by crawling, and a baby's first few steps should be followed by chiropractic checkups. If neglected, the bumps and falls during this period of rapid growth may lead to serious spinal deformities later in life. This can set the stage for scoliosis, "growing pains," and a weakened immune system response. Chiropractic adjusting techniques are modified to fit a child's size, weight, and unique spinal problem. Parents often report that their children seem healthier than other kids their age. Many spinal problems seen in adults begin in childhood. Proper spinal hygiene is an important key to better health. Do you know a child who could benefit from chiropractic care?
			Why would a newborn get adjusted? Even today’s “natural” childbirth methods can affect an infant’s spine. Colic, unusual crying, poor appetite or erratic sleeping habits can be signs of spinal distress. Adjustments are gentle. Knowing exactly where to adjust, no more pressure than you’d use to test the ripeness of a tomato is involved.
			' Patients commonly present to chiropractors with conditions such as back and neck pain, sciatica, 'slipped discs', headaches and migraine, whiplash associated disorders, repetitive strain injuries (RSI), leg, arm or general joint pain etc. Other conditions that patients seek treatment for include asthma, digestive disorders (including infant colic), menstrual pains, sleeping problems etc. If in doubt about your particular condition, give me a call for a no obligation chat.'
			What can chiropractic treat ? There seems to be some confusion about exactly what chiropractic is and what it can do. Basically the aim is to balance and rectify the loss of normal function that has occurred to the spine or any other joint as a result of some form of trauma or prolonged bad posture. Many complaints can be linked to working at the computer, driving a car or even spending all day on the telephone not to mention bad lifting technique and back injuries brought on by lifting and twisting type actions. Many symptoms can occur as a result: Headache - Shoulder Pain - Arm Pain - Tightness across the top of the Shoulders Reduced Neck Motion - Low Back Pain - Leg Pain - Reduced Trunk Flexibility - Infantile Colic – Cystitis. If the spine cannot function properly it will start to cause pain and then the body has to adapt to function as best as it can.
			Chiropractic care is suitable for all ages. Babies as young as a few days old can benefit from very gentle adjustments to help with colic and many other child related conditions. As we get older we need to retain our mobility and chiropractic care can help with this.
			Is Chiropractic helpful and safe for the newborn baby? Chiropractic is very safe and effective in treating the newborn baby. Conditions successfully treated are: colic, restlessness, enuresis, difficulty passing stool, and sleeping problems.
			Many research projects show chiropractic care to be helpful for colic, ear infections, erratic sleeping habits, bedwetting, growing pains and many other common childhood health complaints.
			Nina is completing her Post Graduate Master in Advanced Chiropractic Pediatrics and has successfully treated many common conditions from infantile colic to sleep disorders. She employs a 'utilization' approach to the uniqueness of each individual.
			Why would a newborn get adjusted? Even today’s “natural” childbirth methods can affect an infant’s spine. Colic, unusual crying, poor appetite or erratic sleeping habits can be signs of spinal distress. Adjustments are gentle. Knowing exactly where to adjust, no more pressure than you’d use to test the ripeness of a tomato is involved.
			If your baby suffers from colic, there are a few things that you can do to help: Seek regular chiropractic care, especially during the first four months.
			Chiropractic treatment can help patients suffering from back pain, neck pain, headaches, disc injuries, trapped nerves, hip pain, shoulder pain, arm pain, sciatica, infantile colic, pregnancy related back pain, arthritis, scoliosis, sports injuries and many other painful conditions.
			There is some evidence, though more research is needed, that you may see improvements in some types of: Asthma Headaches, including migraine Infant colic
			hiropractic is well known for the treatment of back, pelvic and leg complaints. It is less well known for the treatment of problems that arise in the shoulder and arms, like rotator cuff injuries, tennis elbow or carpal tunnel syndrome. Chiropractors also often treat childhood conditions like colic, and those that are colloquially called 'growing pains' by some other medical clinicians.
			We specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of nerve, muscle and joint problems particularly relating to the spine and its effect on the nervous system. Which means that the symptoms can be very varied. The most common symptoms include back pain, sciatica, neck pain, headache and infantile colic, to mention a few.
			Initially, I visited the Islington Chiropractic Clinic to have treatment for lower back pain which I suffered with during pregnancy. Since then, my children have also received treatment for various problems such as colic and sports injury. I can highly recommend the clinic as the reception staff are always polite, friendly and helpful. Also the Chiropractors have consistently provided us with a high level of care.
			ITRM Chiropractic Clinic also likes to emphasize the importance of family care. Pregnant women, new born babies, and children will find great benefits from chiropractic care. In some cases chiropractic care has been shown to allow for an easier birth, lessen infantile colic and reduce bed wetting. Come along and enjoy our “Kids Zone” and convenient Baby Changing facilities.
			Many chiropractors regularly report success in treating cases of asthma, high blood pressure, digestive complaints, period pain, babies with colic and many other conditions which may not be directly related to the spine and joints.
			As an infant Marcus showed signs of what is often termed ‘colic’. He would cry and scream for hours, sometimes arching his back and neck and clenching his fists. Then during childhood Marcus suffered from severe headaches and neck pain. “I can still remember suffering with headaches and neck pain, I must have only been about seven years old. I would often be told off for constantly pushing on my head, trying to relieve my pain by myself!” His father sought the advice and care of his own chiropractor, Dr Sidney Hudson-Cook, who explained that much of the damage to Marcus’ spine and head had been a result of his forceps delivery at birth. The chiropractic treatment was extremely effective, giving him continual relief. This left a lasting impression on Marcus inspiring him to pursue his studies.
			Moulded Baby' due to intra-uterine constraint by Tone Tellefsen Hughes DC, BSc, FCC (paeds). October 2006 Some babies appear to be born distressed. These babies are often brought into the Chiropractic office by worried and tired parents who, suspects a diagnosis of infantile colic and are looking for a magical cure.
			What Can Chiropractic Help? Millions have been helped with chiropractic. Chiropractors have always had great results with muscle, joint and nerve problems throughout the body, including serious injuries like whiplash type pain, slipped discs, trapped nerves and arthritis. However, chiropractic is more than just a great painkiller. As well as pain relief, many patients enjoy a greater sense of wellbeing with this common sense approach to healthcare. This long established approach of working with the body can have widespread benefits ranging from easing colic in babies to period pains and irritable bowel symptoms in adults.
			Why would a newborn get adjusted? Even today’s “natural” childbirth methods can affect an infant’s spine. Colic, unusual crying, poor appetite or erratic sleeping habits can be signs of spinal distress. Adjustments are gentle. Knowing exactly where to adjust, no more pressure than you’d use to test the ripeness of a tomato is involved.
			Colic is a very disturbing and frustrating problem for many young babies (and their parents!). It is often linked to a neck and upper back problem and seems more common in babies where delivery was long or difficult or involved forceps. Colic babies often tend to turn their head to one side whenever they lie or sit in the car seat, and may only seem to feed well from one side. Research suggest a better than 90% success rate with chiropractic treatment, which usually occurs within 3-4 treatments. The babies often enjoy being treated and having their neck massaged - and the parents enjoy getting a good night's sleep.
			All kinds of problems can be helped by correcting spinal subluxations; back and leg pain, neck and arm pain, headaches and migraines, during pregnancy, babies with colic, children with ear infections, asthma, the list is long.
			Rachel graduated for the AECC with a First class honours degree in chiropractic medicine. She has attended many soft tissue courses and her area of interest is in treating babies and children as well as pregnant women for back pain. Colic, ADHD and a whole host of childhood related conditions have been successfully dealt with by this exemplary practitioner. Rachel spent 7 years in practice in Greater London before joining the team here.
			chiropractic adjustments. Even so-called "natural" birthing methods can stress a still-developing spine. The resulting irritation to the nervous system can be the cause of many newborn health complaints. Colic, unexplained crying, poor appetite, breathing problems, and allergic reactions can often be traced to nervous system dysfunction caused by a malfunctioning spine. Head support, followed by crawling, and a baby's first few steps should be followed by chiropractic checkups. If neglected, the bumps and falls during this period of rapid growth may lead to serious spinal deformities later in life. This can set the stage for scoliosis, "growing pains," and a weakened immune system response. Chiropractic adjusting techniques are modified to fit a child's size, weight, and unique spinal problem. Parents often report that their children seem healthier than other kids their age. Many spinal problems seen in adults begin in childhood. Proper spinal hygiene is an important key to better health. Do you know a child who could benefit from chiropractic care?
			Many Chiropractors regularly report success in treating babies with colic, cases of asthma and high blood pressure, digestive complaints, period pains and many other conditions which are not directly related to the spine and joints.
			We specialise in the diagnosis and treatment of nerve, muscle and joint problems particularly relating to the spine and its effect on the nervous system. Which means that the symptoms can be very varied. The most common symptoms include back pain, sciatica, neck pain, headache and infantile colic, to mention a few.
			Why would a newborn get adjusted? Even today’s “natural” childbirth methods can affect an infant’s spine. Colic, unusual crying, poor appetite or erratic sleeping habits can be signs of spinal distress. Adjustments are gentle. Knowing exactly where to adjust, no more pressure than you’d use to test the ripeness of a tomato is involved.
			If your baby suffers from colic, there are a few things that you can do to help: Seek regular chiropractic care, especially during the first four months.
			A great deal of problems can be corrected (and prevented) at an early age!! Unfortunately, what many family health workers don't know is that many problems can be dealt with by a chiropractor early on in a child's life to help prevent complications developing in the future. If all babies and older children had their spines checked while they were still growing, there would be so many problems which would just never arise in later life. Chiropractors have a great deal of success with babies who suffer from colic and persistent crying.
			If your baby suffers from colic, there are a few things that you can do to help: Seek regular chiropractic care, especially during the first four months.
			Why would a newborn get adjusted? Even today’s “natural” childbirth methods can affect an infant’s spine. Colic, unusual crying, poor appetite or erratic sleeping habits can be signs of spinal distress. Adjustments are gentle. Knowing exactly where to adjust, no more pressure than you’d use to test the ripeness of a tomato is involved
			Is chiropractic suitable for children and infants? Yes. We use gentle techniques on our younger patients to treat conditions such as colic, sleep and feeding problems, hyperactivity disorders and asthma.
			Many of our patients arrive at the clinic with back pain, but you might be surprised to know that we can also help with many other conditions, such as irritable bowel syndrome, menstrual pain, asthma, migraine, arthritis, and even colic in babies.
			Chiropractic care can help solve a host of childhood problems such as; asthma sleep and feeding problems breathing difficulties hyperacticty bedwetting frequent infections Infantile colic
			Chiropractic is a non-invasive profession that looks to encourage the bodys natural ability to heal. It does not involve the use of medication or surgery while acknowledging there are situations where this may be ultimately necessary. In this way it is appropriate care for aches and pains in pregnancy, for infantile problems such as colic and problems sleeping, and those stubborn niggles that have become constant pain with advancing age.
			Chiropractors treat many conditions which at first may not appear to relate to the spine. These include: Headaches Dizziness Shoulder/arm pain Hand/wrist pain Carpal tunnel syndrome Repetitive strain injury (R.S.I.) Hip pain Knee pain Foot/ankle pain Sciatica Slipped disc Pins and needles and numbness Sports injuries Whiplash Colic/unexplained crying/poor sleep patterns in babies
			There is some evidence, though more research is needed, that you may see improvements in some types of: Asthma Headaches, including migraine Infant colic
			Dear Paul, We would like to thank you for the treatment you gave our baby daughter, Rebekah. We brought her to your Clinic when she was just six weeks old. She had suffered form terrible colic since birth and would cry constantly each night for at least three hours and there was absolutely nothing we could do to help her. We tried medicines recommended by the doctor and we tried lying her in certain positions but nothing worked. When a friend suggested that we take Rebekah to a Chiropractic Clinic we were unsure what to do. However, after six weeks of torture (for Rebekah and us!) we thought that anything was worth a try. After the first treatment we saw favourable results almost immediately. After just three treatments the colic had gone. Our only regret is that we didn't bring our son to you when he was a baby as he also suffered badly with colic. We will definitely recommend your Clinic to any parents who are going through the same difficulties we faced a few weeks ago.
			Why would a newborn get adjusted? Even today’s “natural” childbirth methods can affect an infant’s spine. Colic, unusual crying, poor appetite or erratic sleeping habits can be signs of spinal distress. Adjustments are gentle. Knowing exactly where to adjust, no more pressure than you’d use to test the ripeness of a tomato is involved.
			New research now also suggests that other seemingly unrelated ailments can respond well to Chiropractic treatment including headaches, migraine, infantile colic, heartburn and dyspepsia.