Subject: Case Studies

Title: Chiropractic management of a 5-year-old boy with urinary and bowel incontinence

Reference: Keith R. Kamrath,DC,FACO....Journal of Chiropractic Medicine 2010; 9: pp.28-31

Objective: The purpose of this atticle is to describe chiropractic management ofa 5-year-old boy with urinary and bowel incontinence.

Clinical Features: A 5-year-old boy presented with the primmy symptoms of a complete lack of bowel and bladder control with prior surgical correction for lumbar meningocele, spinal lipoma, and tethered spinal cord. Examination revealed spinal and pelvic dysfunction.

Intervention and Outcome: Chiropractic treatment methods included using the Activator adjusting instrument and shortwave diathenny to the lumbar spine and sacrum. A total of 5 treatments were initially provided over a period of 4 weeks. After the initial treatment period, he was able to maintain satisfactory control of his bladder and bowel, day and night, for a period of approximately 6 months. A second course of treatments was initiated approximately 6 months later because of a recurrence of bladder and bowel incontinence. Four additional treatments were provided over a period of 4 weeks. This second course of treatment reestablished satisfactOlY control of bladder and bowel function.

Conclusion: For this patient, chiropractic care was successful in establishing satisfactOlY bladder and bowel control.

Key Indexing Terms: Spina dysraphism; Urinary incontinence; Fecal incontinence; Meningocele; Manipulation; Chiropractic