News and Articles

Chiropractic Care for Children Living with Cancer

Chiropractors from countries all over the world, Australia to Madagascar, Germany to the USA and of course here at home are uniting to offer their services to children internationally who are currently living with Cancer. This initiative is one started by Dr. Jamie Garvey, a Mississauga Chiropractor who battled and survived cancer twice in his life. Dr. Garvey is the founder of The Chiropractic Cancer Foundation for Children, an organization with a simple but extraordinary goal of “providing complimentary quality chiropractic care to children with cancer throughout the world”. The goal of the Foundation is to enrich the lives of children suffering from cancer by helping to ease their pain and nurture a process of self healing.

Chiropractic has been found to be a beneficial complimentary therapy to those living with cancer as it address’ many of the unpleasant physical symptoms that occur secondarily to cancer treatments. These symptoms may include joint pain, headaches, low back pain, stiffness, muscle tension, mechanical pain due to gait abnormalities, joint contracture due to tissue fibrosis, chemo-therapy induced neuropathy and many other neuromusculoskeletal conditions. Chiropractic was also founded on the basis that a skeletal system in proper alignment is not applying tension on the nervous system, allowing the human body to optimize how it functions. This in turn allows all organ systems to work at their highest potential, permitting the body’s natural healing ability to take effect. Chiropractic is by no means a substitute to conventional medicine and the role that it plays in fighting cancer, but when combined with healthy eating, gentle exercises, stretching and a positive attitude it gives one the best opportunity to fight the battle and overcome it!

Not every patient living with cancer is eligible for chiropractic care. Some contraindications include any type of bone cancer, cancer affecting the spinal cord, severe osteoporosis and long term cortico-steriod use.  Every practitioner will perform a thorough health history and physical exam before determining if you are a good candidate for Chiropractic and may request copies of recent x-rays, bone scans, CTs or MRIs prior to treatment.

Cancer is a disease process that is far reaching in whom it affects, from those living with it directly, to the supporting family, friends and health care practitioners. The treatments that are proven most effective today can also ravage the patient with fatigue, nausea, aches, pains and a complete disruption of life. Chiropractors can work alongside Oncologists and General Practitioners to help provide pain-management, motivation and aid in maintaining some assemblance of normality. We offer the ability to see the whole patient and not just the disease they present with. Adding a holistic health care practitioner to your health care management team can help everyone focus more clearly on their role in overcoming Cancer. Children living with cancer in the HRM can obtain free chiropractic treatment at Village Wellness in Hammonds Plains. To find a Chiropractor in your area that supports the mission of The Chiropractic Cancer Foundation for Children or to learn more, please visit their website.

Dr. Megan Wambolt, BSc DC

References

Davies, NJ. Chiropractic Pediatrics: A Clinical Handbook. 2000. Churchill Livingstone, London UK; 500pgs.

Evans RC, Rosner AL. Alternatives in Cancer Pain Treatment: The Application of Chiropractic Care. Semin Oncol Nurs. 2005;21(3):184-9.

Hunt JM. Upper cervical chiropractic care and the resolution of cystic hygroma in a twelve-year-old female: a case study, Journal of Clinical Chiropractic Pediatrics. 2000;5(1)

Matthews AK, Sellergren SA, Huo D, List M, Fleming G. Complementary and alternative medicine use among breast cancer survivors. J Altern Complement Med. 2007;13(5):555-62

McEachrane-Gross FP, Liebschutz JM, Berlowitz D. Use of selected complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) treatments in veterans with cancer or chronic pain: a cross-sectional survey. BMC Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 2006;6(6):34.

Schneider J, Gilford S. The Chiropractor’s Role in Pain Management for Oncology Patients. J Manipulative Physiol Ther  2001;24(1):52–57.