Erb's Palsy from Traumatic Birth Syndrome

Are parents aware of Traumatic Birth Syndrome?

Ashleigh received her first spinal adjustment that day.  Her mother showed excitement as her baby started using her right arm more than ever before.  This happened immediately following the spinal adjustment.  She did not have full use, however, as the muscles in her right arm were weaker than the left.  Ashleigh had also learned to use her left arm and was hardly aware of even having a right arm.  Nonetheless, she was moving her right arm.  Her mother called from home a few hours after the adjustment somewhat in disbelief over the improvement.  After a few days, however, it seemed as though the power was turned off.

On Ashleigh's second visit, the same spinal adjustment was needed.  Once again, She started moving her right arm.  This time more than the first.  It lasted longer too.  Soon Ashleigh was sticking her right hand in her mouth instead of her left.  She knew she had a right hand!  Ashleigh was adjusted once or twice a week for the next few weeks with each visit getting better results.  After a month of spinal adjustments, you could hardly tell there was ever a problem.  Ashleigh is now only 16 weeks old.  She is doing great and will continue to get checked for spinal dysfunction with nerve interference also referred to as subluxations.

Ashleigh's mother thought she had given a "Natural Birth" to her child.  She thought "Natural Birth" was synonymous with vaginal delivery.  No one had ever explained the difference to her.  No one ever mentioned that during a natural birth, the child is pushed out of the birth canal without assistance.  Ashleigh was pushed out by her mother and pulled out by a physician.  She recalls:  "She (Ashleigh) had giraffe neck".

The "giraffe neck" she was referring to was the stretching of the neck from pulling on the infants head to quicken its entrance into the world.  Sometimes the physicians hands are used.  Other times, a suction device is employed.  Forceps were popular years ago for grabbing the infants head and pulling it out of the birth canal.

The birth process often causes spinal trauma with nerve damage (also called vertebral subluxation complex or "VSC").  Stillbirth and sudden infant death syndrome are the most marked examples.  Brachial plexus pulsies and sciatica are less traumatic but very observable examples.  Other times, the damage is less symptomatic and goes relatively unnoticed until years later.

A popular name given spinal injuries during the birth process is "Traumatic Birth Syndrome".  Unlike most other "syndromes", Traumatic Birth Syndrome is not associated with a specific set of symptoms.  The symptoms presented are dependent on where the spinal damage is and which nerves have abnormal function as a result.  In Ashleigh's case, the right brachial plexus which gives nerve supply to the right arm and hand was involved.  Rather than recognize the cause in naming her condition, the physician that diagnosed her chose to name it by the most presenting symptoms; hence Ashleigh was diagnosed with "Erb's Palsy".

So just how much pulling on the head during birth is acceptable?  Picking a 7 pound new born up by its head would be considered barbaric.  Yet an equal force to the neck during the birth process is common.  Dr. J.M. Duncan found that an average of 120 pounds of force caused decapitation and 90 pounds of force caused decerebration causing disseverence of the brain and spinal cord.  Of  course, both cause instant death.  Dr. Duncan commented, "this is probably far from being what most obstetricians would regard as a great force."  While decapitation and decerebration are uncommon, lesser traumas to the spine causing VSC are not.  These lesser traumas that do not cause early death account for much of the degeneration and associated health problems found in the population today.

Spinal injuries to the neck are common and often cause organ malfunction.  Consider Christopher Reeve, an actor who played Superman.  He fell off a horse and injured his neck.  As a result of this accident, Christopher was using a ventilator to help breathe.  He was also unable to control his elimination system.  "How can this be", you might ask.  "He didn't hurt his lungs, bowel or bladder; he hurt his neck!"   The point is, an injury to the control system of the body affects the way the body works.

In the same way, a spinal injury during the birth process causing VSC can compromise the function of the individual.  Because spinal function is impaired, degeneration takes place.  Correction of the VSC is essential to arrest spinal degeneration.  As spinal function is improved, health is restored.  Chiropractors correct VSC's.

Don’t be fooled if your medical doctor says your baby is fine.  Medical doctors get little to no training in the detection and correction of the vertebral subluxation complex caused by a traumatic birth and will almost certainly miss it.  Chiropractors, on the other hand, have been detecting and correcting subluxations for over 100 years.

If you suffer from a vertebral subluxation, whether caused by birth, other trauma, chemical insult, or  stress, see a chiropractor.  Chiropractors check the spinal function and alignment to determine where the problem is.  Specific adjustments to the impaired segments improve spinal function.  As spinal function is improved, health is improved.
Michael Haley, D.C.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Michael Haley is a graduate of Life University and has a family practice in Fort Lauderdale, FL.  Dr. Haley writes health articles for several local publications and frequently speaks to groups around the community empowering people to lead healthier drug free lives.

For more information on how you can achieve your full potential and live a healthier happier life without any drugs, visit Dr. Haley's web site at http://www.AgapeChiropractic.com or contact him at (954) 969-8800.

1. Abraham Towbin, "Latent Spinal Cord and Brain Stem Injury in Newborn Infants" Develop, Med. Child Neurol. 1969, 11, 54-68