A hereditary spastic paraplegia, or HSP, diagnosis leaves you with many unanswered questions. This disorder, sometimes called familial spastic paraparesis, progresses at different rates depending on the patient. HSP targets your lower body, but is typically accompanied by a number of debilitating and painful secondary symptoms. If you have HSP, you can talk to your medical professional about chiropractic care along with other complementary and alternative therapies.
Chiropractic Treatment
A chiropractor is a trained and certified medical professional who performs manipulations and adjustments to your spine and other parts of your body to improve ailments and maintain good health. While you might typically think of chiropractic treatment for back and neck pain, people also go to the chiropractor to treat a number of health conditions including nerve dysfunction, seizures and headaches. Many insurance companies, including U.S. Government-sponsored programs, cover chiropractic care.
Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia
HSP presents as progressive spasticity and weakness of the leg muscles in adults and children. It is actually a group of hereditary disorders, accompanied by other problems including impaired vision, epilepsy and peripheral neuropathy -- nerve dysfunction -- in complex cases. Symptoms progress and eventually HSP patients require a cane, a walker or wheelchair to move around. Genetic testing can identify the genetic abnormality known to cause some types of HSP. The prognosis varies from mild to severe disability and no known treatments cure, prevent or slow down the progression of HSP, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke.
Peripheral Neuropathy
The most common reason patients with peripheral neuropathy seek complementary and alternative medicine, such as chiropractic care, is pain, according to a study from St. Elizabeth's Medical Center in Massachusetts published in the March 2004 issue of the "Journal of the Neurological Sciences." Peripheral neuropathy is a common symptom of complicated forms of HSP. In the study, 180 peripheral neuropathy outpatients completed a questionnaire. The resulting data shows 43 percent of patients surveyed used CAM and 21 percent of those patients saw a chiropractor. Only one-fourth of the CAM patients reported improvement.
Childhood Epilepsy
Chiropractic care may help children with epilepsy, according to clinical review from the International Chiropractic Pediatric Association in Georgia reported in the March-April 2001 issue of the “Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.” Epilepsy is a common symptom of complicated forms of HSP. Of the 17 cases of epileptic children in chiropractic care examined by researchers, 14 patients had not responded to anticonvulsive medications. During treatment 15 out of 17 patients received an adjustment in their upper neck. The data shows 15 out of 17 patients reported positive outcomes from chiropractic care.
References
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: NINDS Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia Information Page
- Journal of the Neurological Sciences: The Use of Complementary and Alternative Medicines by Patients With Peripheral Neuropathy
- Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics: Epilepsy and Seizure Disorders: A Review of Literature Relative to Chiropractic Care of Children
- National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine: Chiropractic: An Introduction
