Spondylodiscitis Presenting to a Chiropractor: A Case Report and Literature Review.

An 80-year-old man under combination therapy for pulmonary tuberculosis presented to a chiropractor with a one-month history of worsening chronic low back pain, yet denied having any respiratory symptoms, weight loss, or night sweats. Two weeks prior, he saw an orthopedist who ordered lumbar radiographs and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), showing degenerative changes and subtle findings of spondylodiscitis, but was treated conservatively with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The patient was afebrile, yet considering his older age and worsening symptoms, the chiropractor ordered a repeat MRI with contrast, which revealed more advanced findings of spondylodiscitis, psoas abscesses, and epidural phlegmon, and referred the patient to the emergency department. A biopsy and culture confirmed Staphylococcus aureus infection and were negative for Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The patient was admitted and treated with intravenous antibiotics. We conducted a literature review revealing nine previously published cases of patients with spinal infection presenting to a chiropractor, who were typically afebrile men with severe low back pain. Chiropractors rarely encounter patients with undiagnosed spinal infections and should manage those suspected of infection with urgency via advanced imaging and/or referral.

A 68-Year-Old Woman with a Remote History of Breast Cancer Presenting with Low Back Pain to a Chiropractic Clinic in Hong Kong with Imaging Findings Consistent with a Vertebral Hemangioma and Vertebral Metastatic Lesions.

BACKGROUND Patients commonly visit chiropractic clinics for treatment for low back pain, which is often due to injury or degenerative spinal conditions. Rarely, serious underlying pathology may be identified. This report describes a 68-year-old woman with a remote history of breast cancer presenting with low back pain to a chiropractic clinic in Hong Kong with imaging findings consistent with vertebral hemangioma and vertebral metastatic lesions. CASE REPORT A 68-year-old woman with a history of breast cancer status after chemotherapy and mastectomy 20 years prior presented to a chiropractor with an acute exacerbation of chronic low back pain with lower extremity paresthesia. She previously visited her general practitioner and underwent radiography, which supported diagnoses of degenerative lumbar spondylosis and hemangioma of the fifth lumbar vertebra. Given the patient's worsening status and previous cancer, the chiropractor ordered lumbar magnetic resonance imaging at the initial visit, consistent with multilevel spinal metastasis. The chiropractor referred the patient to an oncologist who performed positron emission tomography/computed tomography, which suggested breast cancer recurrence and metastasis. The greatest hypermetabolic activity was evident within the level of the suspected vertebral hemangioma, suggesting this finding which initially appeared innocuous on plain radiography contained underlying metastasis. CONCLUSIONS This case illustrates that when patients fail to respond to treatment for low back pain, clinical referral should be undertaken for investigations to identify possible serious underlying pathology.

Neck pain and Headache Complicated by Persistent Syringomyelia After Foramen Magnum Decompression for Chiari I Malformation: Improvement with Multimodal Chiropractic Therapies.

BACKGROUND Patients with Arnold-Chiari Malformation I (CM-I) treated with foramen magnum decompression (FMD) can have ongoing neck pain, headaches, and other symptoms complicated by persistent syringomyelia, yet there is little research regarding treatment of these symptoms. CASE REPORT A 62-year-old woman with a history of residual syringomyelia following FMD and ventriculoperitoneal shunt for CM-I presented to a chiropractor with progressively worsening neck pain, occipital headache, upper extremity numbness and weakness, and gait abnormality, with a World Health Organization Quality of Life score (WHO-QOL) of 52%. Symptoms were improved by FMD 16 years prior, then progressively worsened, and had resisted other forms of treatment, including exercises, acupuncture, and medications. Examination by the chiropractor revealed upper extremity neurologic deficits, including grip strength. The chiropractor ordered whole spine magnetic resonance imaging, which demonstrated a persistent cervico-thoracic syrinx and findings of cervical spondylosis, and treated the patient using a multimodal approach, with gentle cervical spine mobilization, soft tissue manipulation, and core and finger muscle rehabilitative exercises. The patient responded positively, and at the 6-month follow-up her WHO-QOL score was 80%, her grip strength and forward head position had improved, and she was now able to eat using chopsticks. CONCLUSIONS This case highlights a patient with neck pain, headaches, and persistent syringomyelia after FMD for CM-I who improved following multimodal chiropractic and rehabilitative therapies. Given the limited, low-level evidence for these interventions in patients with persistent symptoms and syringomyelia after FMD, these therapies cannot be broadly recommended, yet could be considered on a case-by-case basis.

Metastatic Recurrent Breast Cancer Identified in the Chiropractic Office: Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women and the most common cause of spinal metastasis, and it may recur months to years after treatment. CASE REPORT A 41-year-old woman, recovered from breast cancer, presented to a chiropractor with acute-on-chronic 3-week history of low back pain radiating to the right leg. She had seen 2 providers previously; lumbar spondylosis had been diagnosed via radiography. Given her recent symptom progression and cancer history, the chiropractor ordered lumbar magnetic resonance imaging, revealing L5 vertebral marrow replacement, suggestive of metastasis. The chiropractor referred her to an oncologist. While awaiting biopsy and oncologic treatments, the oncologist cleared the patient to receive gentle spinal traction and soft tissue manipulation, which alleviated her back pain. The patient continued radiation and chemotherapy, with low back pain remaining improved over 18 months. A literature review identified 7 previous cases of women presenting to a chiropractor with breast cancer metastasis. Including the current case, most had spinal pain and vertebral metastasis (75%) and history of breast cancer (88%) diagnosed a mean 5±3 years prior. CONCLUSIONS This case illustrates a woman with low back pain due to recurrent metastatic breast cancer, identified by a chiropractor, and the utility of a multidisciplinary approach to pain relief during oncologic care. Our literature review suggests that although uncommon, such patients can present to chiropractors with spinal pain from vertebral metastasis and have a known history of breast cancer. Conservative therapies should be used cautiously and under oncologic supervision in such cases.

Pancoast Tumor Presenting as Neck Pain in the Chiropractic Office: A Case Report and Literature Review.

BACKGROUND Pancoast tumors, also called superior sulcus tumors, are a rare type of cancer affecting the lung apex. These tumors can spread to the brachial plexus and spine and present with symptoms that appear to be of musculoskeletal origin. CASE REPORT A 59-year-old Asian man presented to a chiropractor in Hong Kong with a 1-month history of neck and shoulder pain and numbness that had been treated unsuccessfully with exercise, medications, and acupuncture. He had an active history of tuberculosis, which was currently treated with antibiotics, and a 50-pack-year history of smoking. Cervical magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was performed urgently, revealing a small cervical disc herniation thought to correspond with radicular symptoms. However, as the patient did not respond to a brief trial of care, a thoracic MRI was urgently ordered, revealing a large superior sulcus tumor invading the upper to mid-thoracic spine. The patient was referred for medical care and received radiotherapy and chemotherapy with a positive outcome. A literature review identified 6 previously published cases in which a patient presented to a chiropractor with an undiagnosed Pancoast tumor. All patients had shoulder, spine, and/or upper extremity pain. CONCLUSIONS Patients with a previously undiagnosed Pancoast tumor can present to chiropractors given that these tumors may invade the brachial plexus and spine, causing shoulder, spine, and/or upper extremity pain. Chiropractors should be aware of the clinical features and risk factors of Pancoast tumors to readily identify them and refer such patients for medical care.

Unusual Cause of Dysphagia in a Patient With Cervical Spondylosis.

A variety of age-related problems, including salivary secretory disorders, poor oral motor coordination, neuromuscular weakness, neurodegenerative diseases, stroke, and structural changes, can result in swallowing disorders. Given that causes of dysphagia differ from patient to patient, individualized treatment plans tailored toward patients' specific conditions are needed. Here we present a case of an elderly woman with upper neck stiffness and dysphagia sought chiropractic treatment. Radiographic findings suggested cervical spondylosis with a vertical atlantoaxial subluxation. Following 20 sessions of chiropractic treatment, the patient experienced complete relief from neck problems and difficulty in swallowing. Rhythmic swallowing movements are controlled by a central pattern-generating circuit of the brain stem. In this case, the brain stem could have been compressed by the odontoid process of the axis due to C1/2 instability. Cervicogenic dysphagia is a cervical cause of difficulty in swallowing. Cervical complaints in the context of dysphagia are mostly under-estimated. A high degree of clinical suspicion is pivotal in timely intervention.