REDUCED ANXIETY SYMPTOMS IN A PATIENT SCREENED WITH THE PHQ4 RECEIVING CHIROPRACTIC CARE: A CASE REPORT AND REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE

Objective: To chronicle the improvement in mental health, physical functioning and life enjoyment in a 38-year-old female receiving Torque Release Technique (TRT) for the assessment and correction of vertebral subluxation. Clinical features: A 38-year-old female presented for chiropractic care with a 3-month history of anxiety and panic attacks, and chronic low back and neck discomfort. Depression and anxiety were screened for using the PHQ-4 instrument. Postural alterations and reduction in cervical and lumbar ranges of motion (ROM) were found in conjunction with indicators of vertebral subluxation throughout the spine. Intervention & Outcomes: Chiropractic care using TRT was provided for the assessment and correction of vertebral subluxations over 12-visits. The patient reported subjective improvement in musculoskeletal discomfort, mental health, and physical functioning as screened for with the PHQ-4 and Health Wellness and Quality of Life questionnaires. Objective improvement in posture, spinal ROM, surface electromyography and paraspinal thermography studies, and reduction of indicators of vertebral subluxation were recorded. Conclusion: A course of chiropractic care, using TRT for the assessment and correction of vertebral subluxation, was associated with resolution of subjectively reported musculoskeletal discomfort, improvement in measured mental health and physical function in a 38-year-old female.