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Library
Investigative Reports Regarding Back Pain
by Dr. Scott J.
Heun
Clearly 80% of people some time in their life will experience
acute and severe lower back pain. In summary of the following reports,
here are the facts about chiropractic care for dealing with back
pain:
- Chiropractics is more effective in dealing with back pain
than other more common medical treatments, including bedrest,
prescirption drugs, traction and corsets
- chiropractics is a safe, cost-effective and results oriented
alternative to more common medical treatments
- Chiropractic treatment for back pain is significantly more
effective, particularly for patients with chronic and severe pain.
The Manga Report
The Manga Report concluded:
- There would be highly significant cost savings if more management
of low-back pain was transferred from physicians to chiropractors
- There should be a "shift in policy to encourage and prefer chiropractic
services for most patients with low-back pain," and chiropractic
should be "fully insured (and) fully integrated" into the health
care system.
- "The overwhelming body of evidence" shows that chiropractic
management of low-back pain is more cost effective than medical
management, and that "many medical therapies are of questionable
validity or are clearly inadequate..."Chiropractic manipulation
is safer than medical management of low-back pain."
- "Chiropractic management is greatly superior to medical management
in terms of scientific validity, safety, cost effectiveness and
patient satisfaction." "The literature suggests that chiropractic
management of low back pain is more effective, more cost-effective,
and safer than medical management. Furthermore, there is greater
patient satisfaction with chiropractic care than with medical
management of low back pain."
- "The literature suggests that chiropractic manipulation is safer
than medical management of low back pain, perhaps contrary to
popular impressions. There are no clinical or case-control studies
that demonstrate or even imply that chiropractic spinal manipulation
is unsafe in the treatment of low back pain."
Reference
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The Rand Study
The goal of this study was to
provide a comprehensive set of indications for performing spinal
manipulation for persons with low back pain. The results of the
study were:
- Acute and sub-acute mechanical back pain patients given spinal
manipulation achieve better early results than patients given
common medical treatments (bedrest, medication, traction, corsets).
- 50% of the patients treated by manipulation were free of pain
after one week, compared to 27% treated with bedrest.
- Manipulation proved better for pain relief than the use of physiotherapy
and analgesics.
- Pain was relieved by manipulation in a shorter time (3.5 treatments)
than by exercise (5.8 treatments).
- Patients with pain of 2 to 3 weeks duration achieved a 50% reduction
in pain more rapidly with manipulation than with mobilization.
- Patients treated by manipulation improved significantly faster
than those treated with medicine.
- Manipulation provides earlier relief than other treatments or
no treatment.
Reference
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British Medical Research
Council Study
Results of this study concluded
the following:
- Chiropractic treatment for back pain is significantly more effective,
particularly for patients with chronic and severe pain.
- Results are long-term--"the benefit of chiropractic treatment
became more evident throughout the follow-up period of two years.
- The superior results for chiropractic patients were not result
of trial errors or placebo.
- "The potential economic, resource, and policy implications of
our results are extensive. Consideration should be given to providing
chiropractic within the National Health Service, either in hospitals,
or by purchasing chiropractic treatment from existing clinics."
- An economic analysis, which appears conservative and uses patient
numbers reported in 1979, shows savings in excess of 10 million
pounds per annum in Britain by having hospital outpatients with
back pain treated by chiropractors.
- This study provides very considerable support of the New Zealand
Commission's findings.
Reference
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State of California Industrial Back Injury
Study
Conclusion of this study:
Patient time loss was cut in half under chiropractic care compared
to medical care in all three categories. Chiropractic effectiveness
is two to one better over medical care in these types of ailments.
Recent estimates are that lower back pain costs $80-100 billion
dollars per year in medical, disability payments and lost productivity.
Chiropractic care is the most cost effective and safest form of
treatment for any type of back pain.
Nevada Workers' Compensation Study
- For the three year period ending in 1990, the average medical
cost per patient ($2142) was 260% higher than the average chiropractic
case ($892).
- Injured workers are often able to continue working while receiving
chiropractic treatments. This may not be the case with standard
medical treatment protocol of bed rest and medication.
- Chiropractic eliminated the concern of unnecessary surgery,
inappropriate hospitalization, improper use of medication and
the high frequency of narcotic analgesics.
Although study after study provides evidence that Chiropractic
is safe, effective and also affordable, many people are still unaware
of the Chiropractic approach to this serious problem.
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