Can specific, scientific chiropractic help with premenstrual syndrome (PMS)?
Study #1:
The study was completed on 25 women. Estimates of the prevalence of this condition vary depending on criteria. This study estimated that between 10% and 20% of reproductive age women have severe symptoms associated with this condition. The study included chiropractic adjustments for a ten-day period prior to the beginning of the subjects’cycle.
The women were asked to monitor their symptoms and rate them with a score using “0″ = none to “3″ = severe. The results showed a reduction in symptoms from between 42% and 32% for the group that received chiropractic for only a short time. These findings are encouraging the researchers concluded, “results support the hypothesis that the symptoms associated with PMS can be reduced by chiropractic.”
Research Reference: A randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial on the efficacy of chiropractic therapy on premenstrual syndrome. Walsh MJ, Polus BI Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 1999;22(9):582-585
Study #2:
Eleven women with histories of PMS symptoms that had occurred regularly for more than 4 months were given chiropractic spinal adjustments. The care continued through four menstrual cycles and consisted of 5-7 spinal adjustments per month. The subjects were given questionnaires at the beginning and end of the care. They evaluated changes in irritability and mood swings, tension, ineffectiveness, lack of motor coordination, mental/cognitive functioning, eating habits, variations in sexual drive and activity, overall physical symptoms, and social impairment.
The subjects reported improvement in all ten categories with the greatest improvement of symptoms relating to variations in sexual drive (70.7%), social impairment (64.5%), and mood swings (60.8%). The overall average improvement in all symptom categories was 44.2%.
Research Reference: Chiropractic approach to premenstrual syndrome. Wittler NA. Chiropractic: The Journal of Chiropractic Research and Clinical Investigation. 1992; (8): 22-29.