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In the closing days of World War I, a deadly form of influenza ("flu") appeared. The influenza pandemic of 1917-1918 claimed more lives world wide than the war.

During this crisis, Doctors of Chiropractic noticed that their patients seemed to have a lower fatality rate than the general population. Although this Chiropractic observation remains unpublished (there were no scholarly journals willing to publish Chiropractic data in those days), a study was published by the osteopathic profession.1 Among Doctors of Osteopathy of the time, it was routine to check patients' spines for "osteopathic lesions" (which Doctors of Chiropractic refer to as "subluxations"), and to correct them with manipulation. Due to this similarity, the osteopathic publication effectively verifies the Chiropractic observation.

The death rate among influenza patients under conventional medical care in the U.S. was estimated to be 5-6%. The fatality rate among influenza patients under osteopathic care was estimated at 0.25%. The implication drawn from this data by the study's author was that lesions (subluxations) depress the immune system. Therefore, correcting lesions assists immune function.

This conclusion drawn by both Osteopaths and Chiropractors more than 80 years ago has received support from recent research. The activity of the immune system's major "players" -the white blood cells - has been found to increase after Chiropractic adjustments. 2^ A small but intriguing study suggests that the immune response of HIV-positive patients (as measured by CD4 count) improves when spinal subluxations are corrected.

In your ordinary day-to-day experience, you are not likely to notice that your white blood cells are a bit sluggish. Yet, this may very well be one effect of spinal subluxation -even in the absence of a sore back or stiff neck, If you are not already doing so, please consider scheduling monthly chiropractic check-ups, even if you are pain free.

1. Riley GW. Osteopathic Success the Treatment of Influenza and Pneumonia. J Am Osteopathic Asm, 1919; 18: 565.

2. Brennan PC, et al. Immunologjc Correlates of Reduced Spinal Mobility. Proceedings of the 1991 International Corf on SpinalManip (FCER): 118.

3. Brennan PC. et al, Enchanced Phagocytic Cell Repiratory Burst Induced by Spinal Manipulation. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 1991; 14:399

4. Selano JL, et al. The Effects of Specific Upper Cervical Adjustments on the CD4 Counts of HIV-Positive Patients. Chiropr 7,1994; 3:32

Source: http://www.chirokira.com/newsletr/news1003.htm#ResearchReview