Remission of Abdominal Migraines Following Chiropractic Care for Thoracic Scoliosis

Abdominal migraine (AM) is a pediatric functional gastrointestinal disorder characterized by recurrent episodes of abdominal pain and associated symptoms, for which existing pharmacological therapies may be limited by suboptimal efficacy and adverse effects, underscoring the need for alternative treatment approaches. This case report describes a 10-year-old girl diagnosed with mild thoracic scoliosis (20° Cobb angle) who complained of recurrent periumbilical pain for the past 16 months that lasts between two and 24 hours, accompanied by vomiting and pallor. These episodes were triggered by stress, lack of sleep, and skipped meals, and they provided minimal relief with ibuprofen. All her blood tests, ultrasound, and physical examinations returned negative results. Chiropractic examination revealed postural imbalances, thoracic tenderness, restricted motion, and normal neurological/physical findings. An impression of abdominal migraine prompted a treatment plan of spinal manipulation, axial traction, and soft tissue. By the second month, AM attacks stopped; a six-month X-ray indicated a reduction in scoliosis to 5° and an improvement in pelvic balance, which remained consistent at the 11-month mark. AM is a clinical diagnosis and is under-recognized. This novel case indicates that chiropractic care may serve as a promising non-pharmacological option, calling for further trials to assess its effectiveness against traditional therapies and to investigate processes such as gut-brain axis modulation in the management of abdominal migraines.