chiropracticA study appearing in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (June 1992;15(5):279-285) looked at the effect of a chiropractic adjustment on women suffering from dysmenorrhea pain. The subjects of the study were 45 women with primary dysmenorrhea who were randomly divided into two groups. The 24 women in the test group were given actual spinal adjustments, which are defined as a high-velocity, short lever thrust designed to move vertebrae. The other 21 women were in the placebo group and received a “sham” manipulation where they were placed in a position that resembled the position for an adjustment and received a light thrust on the base of the sacrum. The women receiving the spinal manipulation immediately perceived a reduction in pain and distress.