The effects of spinal manipulation on the intensity of emotional arousal in phobic subjects exposed to a threat stimulus: a randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of spinal manipulation upon the intensity of emotional arousal in phobic subjects exposed to a threat stimulus.

DESIGN

Randomized, controlled, double-blind clinical trial.

SETTING

Community college campus.

SUBJECTS

Eighteen phobic community college student volunteers randomized into treatment and control groups.

INTERVENTION

Visual analog scale (VAS) and pulse rates were obtained in response to the subjects' viewing their phobogenic stimulus. Spinal manipulation was performed while the subjects experienced emotional responses. Manual muscle testing was utilized to ascertain the associated spinal segments and involved emotion.

RESULTS

Data were analyzed using analysis of variance for a repeated measures experimental design and Least Significant Differences (LSDs) for mean comparisons. Baseline, preintervention and postintervention pulse rates were not statistically different for the control and treatment groups (p = .0807). VAS postintervention mean for the spinal manipulation group was significantly lower than the control means (p = .05) and from its corresponding preintervention mean (p = .001).

CONCLUSION

Spinal manipulation significantly decreased the intensity of emotional arousal reported by phobic subjects. The mechanism for this effect is not known.