A recent study found that more than 75 percent of pregnant women experience pregnancy-related low back pain, pelvic pain, or a combination; and that this pain increases as pregnancy progresses. Chiropractic care is a safe, effective, and drug-free way to manage these and other musculoskeletal (MSK) symptoms during pregnancy. In this post, we review five common MSK conditions that respond well to chiropractic treatment. 

In the past year, many chiropractors have discussed indications for radiographic examination with renewed interest. In particular, they have questioned the X-ray recommendations of the Choosing Wisely initiative, a project of the American Board of Internal Medicine that seeks to promote more effective use of healthcare resources. The recommendations are hardly revolutionary, and well in line with current radiology education. In my own final radiology classes, professors emphasized that what we learned was only the foundation of what we would need in practice, and a mere fraction of what our peers would learn should they choose to become chiropractic radiologists. The recommendations in Choosing Wisely are shorthand for what we already know. 

Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most common cause of dizziness and vertigo. The condition is characterized by brief episodes of dizziness, nausea, and/or nystagmus triggered by head movement. Over 7 percent of the population will experience BPPV at some point in their lifetime and 80 percent of those patients will require medical treatment. Chiropractors are uniquely suited to differentiate BPPV from the similar-looking cervicogenic vertigo. Both conditions are very amenable to treatment; however, each is managed quite differently. Successful outcomes are predicated upon a solid understanding of both.

As the second session of the 115^th Congress nears the election, members of the House of Representatives and the Senate recently agreed on a comprehensive legislative package to help end the scourge of opioid addiction.  The opioid issue, which federal and local legislatures across the country have been grappling with for several years, will soon see more federal dollars being focused on ways to help alleviate the destructive force associated with the addiction. 

The U.S. Senate today passed by a vote of 93-6 legislation that ensures that sports health professionals traveling to another state with athletic teams remain covered by their malpractice insurance. The bill now advances to the president’s desk, where it is expected to be signed into law. As lawmakers drafted the legislation, the American Chiropractic Association worked to ensure that doctors of chiropractic, along with other providers, were included in the bill’s final language.