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Sympathetic Segmental Dysfunction and

Visceral Pathology

Reviewing the Work of Henry Winsor

by Daniel J. Murphy, DC, FACO

Vice President of ICA

            Dan Murphy graduated magna cum laude from Western States Chiropractic College in 1978, and has more than 20 years of practice experience. He received Diplomat status in Chiropractic Orthopedics in 1986. Since 1982, Dr. Murphy has served part-time as undergraduate faculty at Life Chiropractic College West, currently teaching classes to seniors in the management of spinal disorders.

            Dr. Murphy is on the post-graduate faculty of several chiropractic colleges. His post-graduate continuing education classes include “Whiplash and Spinal Trauma” and “Pain Neurology.” Dr. Murphy is the coordinator of a year-long certification program in “Chiropractic Spinal Trauma,” now (2000) in its twelfth year of being offered. This year, the program is being offered through the International Chiropractors Association of California. He has taught more than 700 post-graduate continuing education seminars.

            Dr. Murphy is a contributing author to the book Motor Vehicle Collision Injuries, published by Aspen, 1996; and to the book Pediatric Chiropractic, published by Williams & Wilkins, 1998. He writes a quarterly column in the Journal of Clinical Chiropractic.

            In 1987, 1991 and 1995 Dr. Murphy received the Post-graduate Educator of the Year award, given by the International Chiropractic Association.

            In 1997, he received The Carl S. Cleveland, Jr., Educator of the Year award, given by the International Chiropractic Association of California.

In the 1970s, I attended a class by Renaissance International, taught by chiropractors Joe Flesia and Guy Riekeman. Sadly, Flesia’s health is deteriorating. Riekeman has recently become the President of Life University after leaving Palmer Chiropractic College. In their Renaissance class, they reviewed the phases of spinal subluxation degeneration. Their reference material included the book Anatomical Roentgenographic Studies of the Spine by Lee Hadley, published by Thomas, in 1972. My observation is that their phase II and phase IV of subluxation degeneration are displayed on the front cover of Hadley’s book, while phases I and III are found in the text. Other examples of subluxation degeneration are found throughout the text. Importantly, another reference in the Renaissance materials included the 1921 article by Henry Winsor.

 Sympathetic Segmental Disturbances

 The Evidences of the Association, in Dissected Cadavers, of Visceral Disease with Vertebral Deformities of the Same Sympathetic Segments

 Medical Times, November 1921, pp. 1-7

             In this article, Dr. Winsor used 50 cadavers from the University of Pennsylvania and performed autopsies (necropsies) to determine whether any connection existed between minor curvatures of the spine and diseased visceral organs. Dr. Winsor notes:

            Forty-nine of the 50 cadavers displayed minor curvatures of the spine, and 1 cadaver displayed the normal “slight smooth lateral curve in the thoracic spine.” This 1 cadaver still showed “very minor visceral pathology in the segments immediately above and below the reported curve,” at “segments, which should form compensatory curves.”

            “All [other] curves and deformities of the spine were rigid, apparently of long duration; irreducible by ordinary manual force: extension, counter-extension, rotation, even strong lateral movements failed to remove them or even cause them to change their relative positions.” [This would indicate that the spinal deformities found by Dr. Winsor were as a rule quite rigid. I believe that if these rigid spinal deformities are in fact associated with pre-existing visceral pathology, an important question would be: What types of management or spinal adjustments would best prevent, slow, or reverse these types of rigid spinal deformities.

            On Friday, June 4, 2004, I was one of the speakers at the Homecoming of my alma mater, Western States Chiropractic College. Prior to my talk, I listened to attorney George McAndrews explain his dedication to chiropractic. He reviewed some of his struggles during his successful anti-trust lawsuit on behalf of chiropractic against the American Medical Association. Mr. McAndrews’ story included how his seriously asthmatic father was cured by a chiropractic adjustment. His father did not have a high school diploma, subsequently achieved his GED, entered and graduated from Palmer, and spent the rest of his life practicing chiropractic. What interested me most, after having reviewed this Winsor article, is Mr. McAndrews’ description of the adjustment his father received to cure his asthma, as follows:

            “The chiropractor took a running jump, landing in the center of my father’s back with such force that his heals clacked the back of his head.”

            This description reminds me somewhat of the videos of BJ Palmer’s adjusting that I saw at Palmer’s Lyceum a few years ago. How consistent are rigid spinal deformities described by Winsor with the forceful adjustments described by McAndrews on his father and the viewing of the adjustments delivered by BJ Palmer?]

            Winsor also notes, regarding minor spinal curvatures, that “their association with disease of organs belonging to the same sympathetic segment is more frequent than with gross curves.” In the 4 spines with gross curvatures “diseased organs were not found to belong to the same sympathetic segments as the gross curves, but were [found at] the same sympathetic segments as the minor compensatory curvatures above and below the greater curves.” [These findings would tend to suggest that the sympathetic nerve interference is not compressive neuropathology.]

             Winsor states that “in 50 cadavers with disease in 139 organs, abnormal curvatures of the vertebrae were found, belonging to the same sympathetic segments as the diseased organs 128 times, leaving an apparent discrepancy of 10, in which the vertebrae in the curve belonged to an adjacent segment to that which should supply the diseased organs with sympathetic filaments.” The 10 “apparent discrepancies from adjacent segments” can be accounted for by “nerve filaments leaving the spinal cord and traveling for a few segments.” Winsor then remarks that sympathetic efferents commonly travel for a few segments. He then states that if he included the cadaver with “faint curve and slight visceral pathology” that the correlation was 139 out of 139 for 100%.

            Importantly, the types of visceral pathology documented include:

Larynx cancer, fatty degeneration of the thymus, pleural adhesions, pleural effusions, pneumonia, tuberculosis, pulmonary edema, pulmonary congestion, lung fibrosis, bronchitis, enlarged lymph nodes, influenza, heart endocarditis, heart dilatation, heart muscle degeneration, pericarditis, aortic aneurysm, liver cirrhosis, liver swelling, liver tumors, enlarged spleen, atrophied spleen, inflamed spleen, pancreas degeneration, cystic kidneys, appendicitis, uterine adhesions, prostate hypertrophy, prostate atrophy, cystitis, hydrocele, osteomyelitis of the tibia, etc. “In general, we found the ordinary diseases of adult life.”

            A summary of Dr. Winsor’s findings are below.

            In a separate evaluation, this author found:

            Two hundred twenty one (221) diseased organs; “Of these, 212 were observed to belong to the same sympathetic segment as the vertebrae in curvature.” “Nine diseased organs belonged to different sympathetic segments from the vertebrae out of line.” “These figures cannot be expected to exactly coincide, for an organ may receive sympathetic filaments from several spinal segments, and several organs may be supplied with sympathetic filaments from the same spinal segments.”

            “In no instance was a complete sympathetic block observed.” [Once again, this would tend to suggest that the sympathetic nerve interference is not compressive neuropathology.] “Sympathetic disturbances are just as likely to be functional or organic disease in viscera, by altering the blood-supply of viscera, through vaso-motor spasm.” [This is very important because vaso-motor spasm is subsequent to increased sympathetic tone. Sympathetic nerve compression would reduce sympathetic tone. Consequently the nerve interference resulting in visceral pathology in this study is not compression, but rather an irritation that causes increased sympathetic tone, vaso-motor spasm, and reduced blood flow].

            In other research, this author has found that:

            1)         “Irritation of the sympathetic system and disease in the organs supplied by the same sympathetic nerves as the vertebrae affected.”

            2)         “That it was rare to find an organ diseased which was not supplied by the same sympathetic nerves as the vertebrae in curvature.”

            3)         “The sympathetic nerves were stretched over bony exudates [bone spurs] which angulated the nerves.”

            4)         “That even where no bony exudates were found, there was intense rigidity of the segments [this sound much like subluxation complex], showing that fibrous or callous exudates could irritate the sympathetic nerves.”

            5)         “The organs were in many instances affected by acute disease, while the deformed vertebrae proved that the curvatures preceded the organic diseases...”

            The author notes that spondylosis is a process, “the last stage being fixation of segments, immobilization of painful joints being one of nature’s later efforts to check disease.” “The disease [process then] going to the point of least resistance, in this instance to the minor curvatures of the spine.”

            The author describe the spondylosis process as follows:

            A “sacro-iliac subluxation, an apparent shortening of the leg, comparative elevation of the posterior superior iliac spine of the ilium, combined with lateral curve in the lumbar region, lumbar curve and sacro-iliac subluxation (rotation of the innominate) appear to be interdependent.” “The stages of the process appears to be:

            1)         Minor curves, or so-called sacroiliac subluxations;

            2)         The muscles are converted into ligaments, ligaments to bone.

            3)         Finally true bony ankylosis occurs.”

[This perfectly describes the phases of subluxation degeneration from Renaissance.]

            “The disease appears to precede old age and to cause it. The spine becomes stiff first and old age follows. Therefore, we may say a man is as old as his spine, the arteries becoming hardened later from constant vaso-motor spasm, following sympathetic irritation.”

            The author notes that the sympathetic nerves can become entrapped extraspinally, peripherally. “When the lungs were pulled out of the cadavers [of pleurisy patients with pleural adhesions], the adhesions were sufficiently strong to pull the intercostals vessels and nerves” including the sympathetic nerves. This “irritation of the sympathetic nerves causes reflex spasm of the vaso-motors deranging the blood-supply of the organs supplied by the sympathetic segment in curve.” The results are an increase in lung disease, heart disease, and pneumonia [infection].

            “Of three cadavers with inguinal disturbances (bilateral hernia, hydrocele, idiopathic bubo or cancer, which had been excised in an old woman), all showed rotation of the twelfth dorsal vertebrae; the connection links being the ilio-inguinal and genito-crural nerves.”

            “Skin diseases: two cadavers with warts exhibited minor curvatures in the region from which the affected skin derived its nerve supply.”

            A dissection of a cadaver with a minor curve in the upper thoracic spine showed problems in the inferior sympathetic sympathetic ganglion, with resulting “sclerosis of the carotid vessels and softening of the frontal lobe on one side with atrophy of the brain.”

            Movements of the vertebral columns made the following observations:

            1)         “Extension of the vertebral column stretched the sympathetic system.”

            2)         “Flexion of the vertebral columns relaxed the sympathetic system.”

            3)         “Side-bending with rotation of the vertebral column produced stretching of the sympathetic system on the convex side of the curve, and relaxation of the sympathetic system on the concave side of the curve.”

            “By placing the thumb as the fulcrum of a lever behind the vertebral column, and pressing thereon, the movement of the vertebral column and the movement of the sympathetic system can be limited almost exactly to the desired spot.” [This sounds so much like chiropractic correction of spinal postural distortions, with the same goals and clinical responses of techniques like Chiropractic Biophysics.]

            Dr. Winsor also notes:

            Twenty-two cats were anesthetized, and “the vertebral column hyperextended and direct pressure made from behind with the thumbs behind the ninth dorsal vertebrae. Result: the abdominal aorta ceased to pulsate.” In the hyperextended position, the “abdominal aorta was severed. Results: no blood extruded. The vertebral column was now flexed. Results: the aorta spurted blood in jets.” “Flexion and extension were tried repeatedly with the same results.”

            “The abdominal aorta was now clamped; hyperextension of the vertebrae column with direct pressure of the thumbs from behind the second, third, and fourth thoracic was made. Result: the total excursion (limits of expansion and contraction) of the auricles of the heart was diminished, the auricles weakened and slowed, the effects on the ventricles was less marked. Flexion and removal of pressure permitted the heart to recover, both tried repeatedly with similar results.” “The aorta was not compressed, neither was the heart.” “The experiments on the aorta and heart action were believed to indicate that the temporary experimental curves of the spine when combined with pressure from behind the vertebrae at a single level, influenced the blood-supply of the viscera by irritating the vaso-motors, through the sympathetic chain, thus causing the blood vessels to contract.” “Treatment applied to the human spine clinically would probably have a similar result.” [This is very important, and again supports chiropractic segmental and postural corrections].

            “Children and dogs wishing to sleep, curl themselves up on their sides, thus bending the vertebral column, relaxing the sympathetic system, filling the great vessels, emptying the cerebral vessels; cerebral anemia is known to cause instant sleep.” “On awakening, they reverse the process; to stretch the spine and with it the sympathetic system, induces contraction in the great vessels, fills the cerebral vessels; they then arise and move around again.”

            “Note: The thoracic sympathetic system [of the cat] does not differ greatly from that of man.”

             IMPORTANTLY, this author’s references include the following:

            1)         Lovett, Lateral Curvature of the Spine and Round Shoulders.

            2)         Lovett, Orthopedics and Spinal Curvatures.

            3)         Abrams, Spondylotherapy.

            4)         Captain Charles F. Ireland, Charts, “for electrical treatment applied to the spine influencing the conditions of the organs by way of the sympathetic system are almost identical with the tables here presented.”

            5)         Edgar F. Cyriax, MD, Displacements of Cervical Vertebrae, in the Journal de Chirurgie, 191 xv 457-485, reprinted by John Bale Sons and Danielson, Ltd. 83:91 Great Titchfield St. Oxford St. W1 London England.

            6)         “Osteopathic literature was freely consulted including Louisa Burns, DO, Studies in the Osteopathic Sciences.

            7)         B J Palmer, The Science of Chiropractic, Palmer School of Chiropractic, Davenport, Iowa.

            The key points that Dr. Winsor makes in this article include:

            1)         Curvatures of the spine adversely affect the sympathetic nervous system.

            2) The sympathetic nervous system controls the blood supply to the viscera, and is therefore related to all manner of visceral diseases and pathology, and specifically, “the ordinary diseases of adult life.”

            3)         Visceral diseases and pathology can be traced back to the segmental levels of sympathetic involvement with nearly 100% correlation.

            4)         Prolonged abnormal spinal posture stretches the sympathetic nervous system, firing the sympathetics, causing reduced blood supply to visceral organs, and resulting in visceral pathology.

            5)         Abnormal spinal curvatures precede organic visceral diseases.

            6)         The author perfectly describes pelvic-lumbar subluxations, fibrosis, reduced motion, and sympathetic nerve interference adversely influencing blood flow and resulting in visceral pathology.

            7)         Spinal disease precedes old age and causes old age.

            8)         Stiff distorted spines cause sympathetic irritation, vascular spasm, arterial hardening, and old age follows.

            9) A person is as old as his/her spine.

            10) Postural distortions causing sympathetic dysfunction can be treated with fulcrum-assisted reversal of the postural distortion.

            11) This author references both osteopathic and chiropractic literature in his bibliography.

            I took post-graduate orthopedics class in the 1980s from Dr. Richard Stonebrink. In addition to his post-graduate teaching, Dr. Stonebrink practiced full-time. For 17 years, he also taught dissection at Western States Chiropractic College. Dr. Stonebrink was uniquely positioned in his ability to relate dissection pathology to clinical practice in his classes. All those who attended his classes, including myself, benefited from his expertise.

            I would share the information I learned from Dr. Stonebrink with my students at Life Chiropractic College West (to the best of my ability). A student from Life Chiropractic College West, William Ruch, graduated 1986, has done the most important recent advances in understanding spinal degeneration and pathology. Dr. Ruch’s 1997 book, Atlas of Common Subluxations of the Human Spine and Pelvis, is a milestone for the chiropractic profession. Dr. Ruch’s book compares dissections with radiographs and advanced imaging, such as CT and MRI. Dr. Ruch’s work supports the work of Dr. Winsor and the teachings of Dr. Stonebrink. Ruch’s work, like that of Winsor and Stonebrink, is so relevant and important to chiropractors, that I believe that we should all be aware of it. Hopefully, chiropractic colleges will do more of this type of research.

REFERENCES

            Hadley, Lee, Anatomical Roentgenographic Studies of the Spine, Thomas, 1972.

            Winsor, Henry, MD, Sympathetic Segmental Disturbances: The Evidences of the Association, in Dissected Cadavers, of Visceral Disease with Vertebral Deformities of the Same Sympathetic Segments, Medical Times, November 1921, pp. 1-7.

            Ruch, William, Atlas of Common Subluxations of the Human Spine and Pelvis, CRC Press, 1997.

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