It’s estimated that eight out of 10 people suffer from back pain at some point in their lives. A recent study on the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders in the U.S. estimated that 40 million Americans aged 20-64 will experience “frequent” low back pain (LBP), with 15% suffering from LBP lasting up to two weeks at a time!
There’s no clear-cut way to resolve back pain, but chiropractic offers the most promise. Witness the results of a recent study comparing one-month outcomes for 93 chiropractic patients and 45 medical patients with chronic, recurrent LBP. Chiropractic care included spinal manipulation and various forms of physiotherapy, averaging four patient visits. Medical care averaged one visit and frequently included the prescription of anti-inflammatory drugs.
Patients treated by chiropractors showed better overall improvement and satisfaction after one month than patients treated by family physicians. Chiropractic patients showed substantial decreases in pain severity, functional disability, and pain quality, while medical patients showed only minimal improvements with regard to the first two measures, and deterioration in the third.
If you’re suffering from low back pain, the road to recovery may not be an easy one, but it begins with chiropractic!
Reference:
Nyiendo J, Haas M, Goodwin P. Patient characteristics, practice activities, and one-month outcomes for chronic, recurrent low-back pain treated by chiropractors and family medical physicians: a practice-based feasibility study. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, May 2000: Vol. 23, No. 4, pp239-45.