Study Shows Chiropractic Care is #1 for Chronic Spinal Pain

Reference: Chronic Spinal Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial Comparing Medication, Acupuncture, and Spinal Manipulation From Spine, July 15, 2003; 28(14): 1490-1502 Lynton G. F. Giles, D.C., Ph.D; Reinliold Muller, From the Abstract Study Design: A randomized controlled clinical trial was conducted. Objective: To compare medication, needle acupuncture, and spinal manipulation for managing chronic (> 13 weeks duration) spi­nal pain, because the value of medicinal and popular forms of alternative care for chronic spinal pain syndromes is uncertain. Summary of Background Data: Between February ^"^* 1999 and October 2001, 115 patients without contraindication for the three treatment regimens were enrolled at the public hospital's multidisciplinary spinal pain unit. Methods: One of three separate intervention protocols was used: Medication, needle acupuncture, or chiropractic spinal manipulation. |The manipulation was done by chiropractors.] Patients were assessed before treatment by a sports medical physician for exclusion criteria and by a research assistant us­ing the Oswestry Back Pain Disability Index (Oswestry), the Neck Disability Index (NDI), the Short-Form-36 Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36), visual analog scales (VAS) of ^ pain intensity and ranges of movement. These instruments were administered again at 2, 5, and 9 weeks after the beginning of treatment. i Results: The highest proportion of early (asymptomatic status) recovery was found for manipulation (27.3%), followed by acu­puncture (9.4%) and medication (5%). |Wow!| Manipulation achieved the best overall results, with improvements of 50% on the Oswestry scale, 38% on the NDl, 47% on the SF-36, and 50% on the VAS for back pain, 38% for lumbar standing flexion, 20% for lumbar sitting flexion, 25% for cervical sitting flexion. and 18% for cervical sitting extension. A 1978 graduate of Western States Chiropractic College, Dr. Dan Murphy is on the faculty of Life Chiropractic College West, and the Vice President of the International Chiropractic Associa­tion. For more information, visit http://www.danmurphydc.com/ newsletter.htm.