Chiropractic Best for Chronic Spine Pain

New Research Shows Manipulation Superior to Acupuncture, Drugs

Article by
www.chiroweb.com

A randomized, controlled clinical trial just published in Spine1 reveals that chiropractic "manipulation" is superior to both drugs and acupuncture in the treatment of chronic spinal pain (people with pain lasting more than 13 weeks). The study, conducted at a multidisciplinary spinal pain outpatient unit (MSPU) in an Australian public hospital, involved 115 patients randomly assigned to receive one of three interventions: medication, needle acupuncture or chiropractic manipulation.

Patients randomized to the acupuncture or spinal manipulation group were given an initial physical examination by the treating clinician to determine which form of acupuncture needle placement and needling would take place, or what type of spinal manipulation would be performed, respectively. Patients randomized to the medication group were given Celebrex, unless the patient had used it previously. The next drug of choice was Vioxx, followed by paracetamol (up to 4g/day). Doses were left to the sports physician's discretion.