Chiropractic management of primary nocturnal enuresis.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate chiropractic management of primary nocturnal enuresis in children.


METHODS
A controlled clinical trial for 10 wk preceded by and followed by a 2-wk nontreatment period.


METHODS
Chiropractic clinic of the Palmer Institute of Graduate Studies and Research.


METHODS
Forty-six nocturnal enuretic children (31 treatment and 15 control group), from a group of 57 children initially included in the study, participated in the trial.


METHODS
High velocity, short lever adjustments of the spine consistent with the Palmer Package Techniques; or a sham adjustment using an Activator at a nontension setting administered to the examiner's underlying contact point. Two 5th-year chiropractic students under the supervision of two clinic faculty performed the adjustments.


METHODS
Frequency of wet nights.


RESULTS
The post-treatment mean wet night frequency of 7.6 nights/2 wk for the treatment group was significantly less than its baseline mean wet night frequency of 9.1 nights/2 wk (p = 0.05). For the control group, there was practically no change (12.1 to 12.2 nights/2 wk) in the mean wet night frequency from the baseline to the post-treatment. The mean pre- to post-treatment change in the wet night frequency for the treatment group compared with the control group did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.067). Twenty-five percent of the treatment-group children had 50% or more reduction in the wet night frequency from baseline to post-treatment while none among the control group had such reduction.


CONCLUSIONS
Results of the present study strongly suggest the effectiveness of chiropractic treatment for primary nocturnal enuresis. A larger study of longer duration with a 6-month follow-up is therefore warranted.
Reed
W R
WR
Palmer Institute of Graduate Studies and Research, Davenport, IA 52803.
Beavers
S
S
Reddy
S K
SK
Kern
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002684:Chiropractic / Q000379:methods*; D004775:Enuresis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013315:Stress, Psychological