The lungs and bronchi receive an extensive nerve supply from the spine. Case reports and

research studies have repeatedly demonstrated an improvement in respiratory function as a

result of spinal care.

Specific upper cervical chiropractic care and lung function. Kessinger, R Abstracts from the 13

From the abstract: This was a study of 58 patients to determine whether the upper cervical knee chest adjustment as developed by Dr. B.J. Palmer, influenced pulmonary function. FEV-1 and FVC were measured before care and two weeks after care on a computerized auto spiro spirometer.

Of the 58 patients, 33 (57%) were considered to have "abnormal" lung function before care. The rest were within normal range. The abnormal group showed the greatest increases in FEV and FVC over the two-week study. Forty-two percent of the abnormal patient population actually tested within normal limits after the two-week study. The "normal" subject population also showed predictable increases in lung function, but not as dramatic as the abnormal group.

Chiropractic adjustments of the cervicothorasic spine for the treatment of bronchitis with complications of atelectasis. Hart, D.L. Libich, E, Ficher R. International Review of Chiropractic, March/April 1991.

Adjustive osteopathic manipulative treatment in the elderly hospitalized with pneumonia: a pilot study. Noll DR, Shores J, Bryman PN, Masterson EV. Journal of the American Osteopathic Association 1999; 99(3): 143-6 This was a study of twenty-one individuals with acute pneumonia. Eleven of them were given "specific osteopathic manipulative treatment for somatic dysfunction." All twenty-one received medical treatment as well (antibiotics etc.).

The study found that those getting the manipulative treatments recovered more quickly from pneumonia. As the authors wrote: "Although the mean duration of leukocytosis, intravenous antibiotic treatment, and length of stay were shorter for the treatment group, these measures did not reach statistical significance. However, the mean duration of antibiotic use did reach statistical significance...3.1 days (versus) 0.8 day."

A comparison of the effect of chiropractic treatment on respiratory function in patients with respiratory distress symptoms and patients without. Hviid C. Bulletin of the European Chiropractic Union, 1978; 26:17-34.

It is suggested that there is a change of the peak flow rate and the vital capacity in patients

with obstructive lung disease after chiropractic care.

Treatment of visceral disorders by manipulative therapy. Miller WD. In: Goldstein M, Ed. The Research Status of Spinal Manipulative Therapy. Bethesda: Dept. HEW. 1975:295-301.

Patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease were treated with osteopathic manipulation. 92% of the patients stated they were able to walk greater distances, had fewer colds, experienced less coughing, and had less dyspnea than before treatment. 95% of patients with bronchial asthma said they benefited from chiropractic care. Peak flow rate and vital capacity increased after the third treatment.

Relation of faulty respiration to posture, with clinical implications. Lewit K. JAOA, 1980, 79:525-529. The relation of faulty respiration and posture of the spine and pelvis is considered.

Somatic Dyspnea and the orthopedics of respiration. Masarsky CS, Weber M Chiropractic Technique, 1991; 3:26-29 Author's Abstract: Several brief cases are presented in which the symptom of dyspnea was alleviated or abolished following the correction of vertebral subluxation complex or other somatic dysfunctions. In discussing such cases, the term "somatic dyspnea" is suggested to denote air hunger or shortness of breath related to somatic dysfunction. Somatic dyspnea is a condition, which may accompany other causes of dyspnea (lung pathology, psychogenic or "functional" causes, etc., or it can exist alone. In our chiropractic practice, most somatic dyspnea is seen as a secondary condition in patients presenting primarily with orthopedic complaints. When the symptom is secondary, the patient will often not mention it until an examination procedure reproduces it or treatment causes it to improve or disappear. The response to manipulative therapy is sometimes so dramatic and rapid that a strong linkage between the dyspnea and the primary presenting complaint is suggested.

Chiropractic and lung volumes - a retrospective study. Masarsky CS, Weber M. ACA

Journal, Sept 1986; 20:65-68. Lung vital capacity was found greater after chiropractic adjustment.

Chiropractic management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Masarsky CS, Weber M. JMPT, 1988; 11:505-510.

A 53-year-old man with 20 years of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease was treated with chiropractic, nutritional advice and exercises. Improvements were noted in forced vital capacity, coughing, fatigue and ease of breathing.

The influence of osteopathic manipulative therapy in the management of patients with chronic obstructive lung disease. Howell RK, Allen TW, Kappler RE. J AM Osteopathic Association 1975; 74(8): 757-60.

This was a 9-month study on the effects of spinal manipulative therapy as a treatment for obstructive pulmonary disorders, there was a progressive decline in the severity of the

condition. The average reduction in severity was approximately 10.7%. All of the patients were noted as having costotransverse dysfunction at the level of T3, as well as T2 being noted in patients with asthma. Joint motion between T3/T4 was restricted. Local tissue was edematous and tender to palpation.

Somatic dyspnea and the orthopedics of respiration. Masarsky CS, Weber M. Chiropractic Technique, 1991; 3:26-29.

From the abstract: "Several brief cases are presented in which the symptom of dyspnea (shortness of breathe, air hunger) was alleviated or abolished following the correction of vertebral subluxation complex or other somatic dysfunctions.

Lung function in relation to thoracic spinal mobility and kyphosis. Mellin G, Harjula
R. Scand. J. Rehab. Med., 1987; 19:89-02.

Mobility of the thoracic spine is shown to directly effect respiratory function.

Somatic dysfunction associated with pulmonary disease. Beal MC, Morlock JW, JAOA,

Vol.84 No.2 Oct. 1984.

A review of osteopathic literature on respiratory disease revealed that the majority of those with lung disease had changes in the spinal area T2-7. In this study, all 40 patients with lung disease had abnormalities of T2-7.

The physiologic response to the nose to osteopathic manipulative treatment: preliminary report. Kaluza CL, Sherbin M, May 1983, JAOA, Vol. 82 No.9.

The work of breathing was lessened after an osteopathic manipulative treatment.