Remission of recalcitrant dermatomyositis following a chiropractic adjustment

Eric C P Chu; Fa-Sain Lo; Amiya Bhaumik

doi:10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_839_19

Remission of recalcitrant dermatomyositis following a chiropractic adjustment

J Family Med Prim Care. 2019 Nov 15;8(11):3742-3744. doi: 10.4103/jfmpc.jfmpc_839_19. eCollection 2019 Nov.

Authors

Eric C P Chu¹, Fa-Sain Lo¹, Amiya Bhaumik²

Affiliations

¹ New York Chiropractic and Physiotherapy Centre, New York Medical Group, Hong Kong, China.
² Department of Health Sciences, Lincoln University College, Jalan Kota Bharu - Pengkalan Kubor, 15050 Kota Bharu, Kelantan, Malaysia.

Abstract

Dermatomyositis (DM) is an idiopathic inflammatory myopathy characterized by progressive muscle weakness and pathognomonic skin eruptions. Systemic corticosteroid with or without an immunosuppressive agent is the current treatment of choice in most cases. Cutaneous disease in DM is often refractory and can become the most challenging component to manage effectively. Here, we report a case of recalcitrant DM in a 66-year-old female who sought chiropractic attention for recent episodes of pain and paresthesia in the neck and exacerbation of joint pain. As expected, the musculoskeletal complaints including neck pain, peripheral arthralgia, and muscle weakness that resolved within 1 month after starting treatment. Unexpectedly, dramatic remission of the characteristic skin rashes occurred concurrently. The underlying therapeutic mechanisms of chiropractic remain elusive. This case highlights the importance of family physicians becoming familiar with diagnosing the condition and using a multidisciplinary team approach to treat recalcitrant DM.

Keywords: Chiropractic; dermatomyositis; muscle weakness; skin eruption.

Publication types

Case Reports