The February 8, 2018, issue of the Journal of Upper Cervical Chiropractic Research published a case study showing chiropractic helping a patient who was suffering with vasovagal syncope, resulting in fainting and blackouts. The authors of this study cite the World Journal of Cardiology to define syncope as “…syncope is defined as a transient and self-terminating loss of consciousness (LOC) with rapid onset, short duration combined with spontaneous, prompt and complete recovery.”
The Mayo Clinic website describes this condition by saying, “Vasovagal syncope occurs when you faint because your body overreacts to certain triggers, such as the sight of blood or extreme emotional distress.” They further explain, “The vasovagal syncope trigger causes your heart rate and blood pressure to drop suddenly. That leads to reduced blood flow to your brain, causing you to briefly lose consciousness.”
In this case, a 57-year-old woman sought chiropractic care due to her chief complaint of fainting. She also reported that she was suffering with neck pain on the right side with a loss of normal right neck rotation. She had been diagnosed by her MD with vasovagal syncope (VVS).
The woman reported that her fainting first started in 1996. She reported that turning her head to the left would bring on the fainting episode. It was two years later that she was diagnosed by her cardiologist with vasovagal syncope. An EKG, cardiac Echo, and carotid artery doppler were performed but revealed no abnormal finding and were considered negative studies.
The medical recommendations included medication for low blood pressure and the possibility of surgery for implantation of an electrical pacemaker. The woman declined these options and decided to take a holistic approach for her health issues.
Chiropractic examination procedures, including x-rays, were performed after which specific chiropractic adjustments were started to address her vertebral subluxations. Analysis of the results of the adjustments were performed to determine the changes made from the procedures.
The results of the chiropractic care were immediate and profound in this case. After the first chiropractic adjustment, the woman reported that she did not suffer a single syncope episode or fainting attack. After her fourth visit, she also reported that her neck pain was completely gone. After the initial portion of care, the study noted that the woman remained on chiropractic care on a maintenance basis and that she was “…appreciative for the ability in gaining the quality and function back in her life, via chiropractic.”
In their conclusion the authors wrote, “The chiropractic treatment and complete resolution of a 57-year-old female patient suffering from Vasovagal syncope (VVS) is presented in this case study.” They further noted, “This case supports the evidence of chiropractic care in relieving neurological disorders based on anatomical association and interference.”
