Dr. Kimball's Published Research: Secretory IgA and Chiropractic

Dr. Kimball's second publication became available online today! She was a part of a research team that included seven other doctors. You can check out the full publication here.

The objective of this study was to observe changes in secretory IgA (SIgA) after adjusting the upper neck. SIgA is a key component of the innate immune system, which provides a nonspecific, first-line defense against numerous pathogens. This study found an immediate increase in SIgA after an adjustment to the upper neck. Two weeks after the adjustment, SIgA returned to baseline.

So what do these findings mean? As SIgA is thought to be a marker for the status of not only the mucosal immune system but also systemic immunity, an increase in SIgA may indicate activation of the systemic immune system. Our findings suggest that after an upper cervical adjustment, a systemic immune response is activated for a short period. While future research is needed to explore the mechanism behind this finding, this study serves as a preliminary study for further research into the relationship between immune function and adjustments to the upper neck.

Interested to learn more? Ask Dr. Kimball about the study at your next appointment!