Objective: To describe the case of an infant with gastro-esophageoal reflux disease which improved while under chiropractic care and to review the literature on chiropractic manipulation and gastro-esophageal reflux disease.
Clinical features: A 4-month-old female infant with gastro-esophageal reflux disease was brought into the clinic by her mother for chiropractic care. The mother reported multiple episodes of reflux and vomiting per day. Slight asymmetry of the frontal bone was noticed with a flattening of the left side.
Methods: A literature search of PubMed using the subject heading "gastro-esophageal reflux disease AND chiropractic" or "GERD AND chiropractic" or "acid reflux disease AND chiropractic" was performed.
Intervention and outcomes: The patient was treated with chiropractic manipulation in the form of sustained pressure and Activator adjusting instrument. Recommended treatment frequency was 2x/week for 2 weeks and 1x/week for 4 weeks thereafter. Cranial adjustments were performed, particularly on the frontal bone. The patient's mother reported a large bowel movement after the adjustment on the same day and a longer than normal subsequent sleep cycle. At the next visit, the patient's mother reported that the number of episodes per day of vomiting and reflux had decreased. Over the next 3 weeks, both the number of episodes per day and number of days with any vomiting and reflux decreased. Within 3 weeks, the infant had no reflux or vomiting.
Conclusion: There is limited literature about the effect of chiropractic care as a treatment for gastro-esophageal reflux disease. There are reports of successful chiropractic treatment of gastro-esophageal reflux disease. This patient's reflux and plagiocephaly improved while under chiropractic care.
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