Chiropractic Care for Multiple Sclerosis
Trial Summary
What is the purpose of this trial?
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease associated with an imbalance between pro- and anti-inflammatory markers (cytokines) resulting in a demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease. There is early evidence that spinal manipulation (chiropractic care) is better than control in influencing immune (cytokine) activity in asymptomatic participants, but few studies have been completed in participants with chronic inflammatory conditions, such as MS. The purpose of this project is to examine the immediate (after a single thoracic spinal manipulation treatment) and summative impact (after 8 thoracic spinal manipulation treatments occurring over 4 weeks) on pro-inflammatory (interleukin (IL) IL-1ß, IL-2, IL-6, Tumor necrosis factor-alpha) and anti-inflammatory (IL-4, IL-10) plasma cytokines 20 minutes and 2 hours after thoracic spinal manipulation in participants diagnosed with neuroinflammatory relapsing-remitting MS (RR-MS). Spinal manipulation treatment will be limited to the thoracic spine. Secondary outcomes will include determining the impact of 8 thoracic spinal manipulations on fatigue, cognitive processing speed, pain, depression, sleep, and motor function through questionnaires and performance of various in assessments such as the timed 25 foot walk test.
Will I have to stop taking my current medications?
The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but it requires that you are on stable FDA-approved disease modifying therapy for MS.
What data supports the effectiveness of the treatment Chiropractic Care for Multiple Sclerosis?
There is evidence that thoracic spine manipulation, a component of chiropractic care, is effective in treating neck pain, which suggests it may help with pain management in other conditions. However, the effectiveness of spinal manipulation specifically for multiple sclerosis is not directly supported by the available research.12345
Is chiropractic care generally safe for humans?
How is spinal manipulation different from other treatments for multiple sclerosis?
Spinal manipulation, often used by chiropractors, is unique because it involves adjusting the spine to correct alignment and relieve nerve pressure, which is different from typical drug treatments for multiple sclerosis that focus on managing symptoms or modifying the disease. This hands-on approach is more commonly used for back and neck pain, and its effectiveness for multiple sclerosis is still uncertain.1241112
Research Team
William R Reed, DC, PhD
Principal Investigator
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Eligibility Criteria
This trial is for adults aged 18-55 with a recent diagnosis of relapsing-remitting Multiple Sclerosis (MS), who are stable on FDA-approved MS medications, and have not had an MS flare-up in the past month. They should be new to chiropractic care, free from major diseases or conditions that affect the heart, lungs, or metabolism, and must not have had spinal surgery or bone fractures recently.Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Treatment Details
Interventions
- Sham Spinal Manipulation
- Spinal Manipulation
Find a Clinic Near You
Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?
University of Alabama at Birmingham
Lead Sponsor