Studies on the effectiveness of Chiropractic care

A major four-year study in the United States, published in the American Medical Association journal, The Archives of Internal Medicine, concluded that benefit plan members with chiropractic coverage returned to work faster, had lower claim costs and experienced fewer interventions such as MRIs compared to plan members without chiropractic benefits.

A United Kingdom study published in the British Medical Journal concluded that adding spinal manipulation to current “best care” in general practice was effective and cost-effective for patients with low back pain.

The Bone and Joint Decade Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders, an international multi-disciplinary research group, found spinal manipulation to be one of only a handful of treatment options of benefit for neck pain. The study which was published in the journal Spineconcluded that spinal manipulation is a low risk, cost-effective choice.

The Ontario Workplace Safety and Insurance Board (WSIB) guidelines for the treatment of chronic pain, published in The Clinical Journal of Pain state that manipulation is more effective for chronic low back pain than usual care by a general practitioner, bed rest, analgesics or massage in the short to intermediate term.  A 2004 review of the WSIB Program of Care for acute low back injuries found faster return to work and high satisfaction levels with chiropractic care.

One of the most significant reports was produced by the Clinical Standards Advisory Group (CSAG) in the UK in 1994. The CSAG guidelines for the management of back pain recommend spinal manipulation along with active exercise and physical activity to modify pain mechanisms and speed recovery.

The New Zealand Acute Low Back Pain Guide is a government sponsored, evidence-based guideline based on an extensive review of the international literature and wide consultation with professional groups in New Zealand. The New Zealand guideline reinforced the CSAG recommendations by including adjustment as an appropriate treatment for pain relief and improvement in mobility and function for acute low back pain.

 

The Danish Institute for Higher Technology Assessment (DIHTA) produced a report on frequency, management and prevention of low back pain. DIHTA stated that spinal manipulation is indicated for management of acute pain and to improve function, and should be considered for use in patients who have been experiencing pain for longer than two to three days and recommended that manipulation be considered for recurrent, chronic low back pain and for nerve root/disc conditions.

The U.K. Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) 2001 Clinical Guidelines for the Management of Acute Low Back Pain state that there is strong evidence that spinal manipulation can provide short-term improvement in pain and activity levels and demonstrates higher patient satisfaction than alternate treatments. The guidelines recommend that adjustment be considered for pain relief and for patients who are failing to return to normal activities.

Studies in other countries have reached similar conclusions and the international medical literature contains a broad range of published studies attesting to the effectiveness and safety of chiropractic care for musculoskeletal complaints including back pain, neck pain and headaches.

As research advances, evidence continues to accumulate to support the benefits of chiropractic care for a variety of conditions.

 

With each research study performed, the wealth of documentation supporting the effectiveness and the safety of Chiropractic care grows.

Every person owes it to themselves and to those they care about to seek Chiropractic care FIRST, before electing to take potentially dangerous drugs, or run the risks that are associated with surgery.