Event Abstract

Successful chiropractic treatment of adult onset attention deficit hyperactivity disorder using Torque Release Technique

  • 1 Life University, United States
  • 2 Absolute Chiropractic, United States

Background: A 38-year-old male patient presented with a chief complaint of adult onset attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD). He also complained of low back pain with numbness and left sciatica. The low back pain incapacitated his ability to walk and concentrate due to the severity of the pain. Patient also complained of constant headaches. These complaints were described as excruciating and constant, interfering with daily activities. The patient had been on several different medications to control his ADHD for the past 13 years. Methods: The Quadrupled Visual Analogue Scale (QVAS) score was initially 60 out of 100. QVAS is an outcome assessment survey that measured patient progress by averaging the patient’s evaluation of their pain. Values assessed were the pain at the time of the visit, average pain since the last visit, and pain at it’s best and worst since the last visit. Possible scores ranged from 0-100, with pain rated greater than 50 labeled as high-intensity and less than 50 as low-intensity. Instrumentation thermometry revealed severe thermal asymmetry findings over the cervical spine. Muscle spasms were noted at various levels in the cervical, thoracic and lumber areas paraspinally and bilaterally. Decreased cervical, thoracic and lumbar global ranges of motion were noted along with motion palpation restriction. Torque Release Technique (TRT), a low force type of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) was utilized at specific spinal vertebral levels, the sacroiliac joint, and the foot. TRT is a tonal technique that uses an instrument, labeled an Integrator, to facilitate SMT. This technique was built upon the theory of the brain reward cascade and the interrelationship of the body and mind. Using a non-linear model, specific vertebral levels are identified for treatment using 15 different diagnostic indicators assembled from multiple chiropractic techniques. SMT was performed with an Integrator tool that was set with a pre-cocked pressure sensitive tip that had an automatic release mechanism at the speed of 1/10,000 of a second. The integrator was developed with the intention of delivering SMT with inter-examiner reliability at a constant frequency of 64 Hertz. The mechanism of release from the Integrator was with a toggle-recoil thrust in a three dimensional (straight axial, left torque and right torque) directions. This patient was treated three times a week for the duration of two months. Results: The patient stated that he had an 80% improvement of his symptoms within a month of beginning chiropractic treatment. After a week of treatment, his medical doctor decreased the patient’s medication dosage. Within two months, the patient was no longer taking any of his medications for ADHD, including Adderall, OxyContin and Lortabs. The patient stated that he was able to focus and felt more energized. The complaint of low back pain was also resolved after two months. Thermometry retesting revealed a decrease in asymmetry from severe to mild/moderate after two months. Post-treatment QVAS score was decreased from 60 to 36, meaning the patient’s pain was decreased from that of a high intensity level to a low intensity level. After one month of treatment, the patient’s goals of being able to focus and exercise were met. Conclusion: The positive results in this case indicate further research should be performed using SMT for patients with ADHD.

Keywords: Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity, Chiropractic Treatment, concentration, Headaches and Pain, Low Back Pain

Conference: International Symposium on Clinical Neuroscience: Clinical Neuroscience for Optimization of Human Function, Orlando, United States, 7 Oct - 9 Oct, 2016.

Presentation Type: Poster Presentation

Topic: Abstracts ISCN 2016

Citation: McNulty E, Pellegrino A and Esposito SE (2016). Successful chiropractic treatment of adult onset attention deficit hyperactivity disorder using Torque Release Technique. Front. Neurol. Conference Abstract: International Symposium on Clinical Neuroscience: Clinical Neuroscience for Optimization of Human Function. doi: 10.3389/conf.fneur.2016.59.00004

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Received: 28 Aug 2016; Published Online: 07 Sep 2016.

* Correspondence: Dr. Susan E Esposito, Life University, Marietta, United States, susanesposito@gmail.com