Anyone with back pain understands how difficult it can be to walk, bend, stand, sleep, or even sit for long periods. It's tempting to ignore the problem or rely on over-the-counter painkillers, but that doesn't solve anything – back pain has a tendency to linger, even after temporary respite.
Studies show that chiropractic care offers unique benefits, including long term relief for back pain and the source of that pain. Let's look at some studies into lingering back pain, comorbidities, and the effectiveness of various chiropractic treatments.
Back Pain Lingering Over Time
Hestbaek L et al., Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2003
Back pain is an issue that can continue to linger without proper treatment. This study recruited participants who had experienced back pain within the past year, then followed them for five years, observing the progression of their back pain. Results included:
- Over 33% of the participants experienced back pain for more than 30 days.
- Only 9% of the participants were pain free after five years.
Researchers concluded that back pain rarely resolves itself – the vast majority of people continue to experience periodic attacks. Relief is almost always temporary.
Lower Back Pain Comorbidities
Hestbaek L, Leboeuf-Yde C, Manniche CJ., Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2003
It’s also important to be aware of how back pain can affect the rest of your body and vice versa—rarely is it an isolated issue. Researchers reviewed 23 papers to find links between persistent back pain and other health problems. They concluded that diseases cluster in some individuals, and lower back pain is a common thread. It's often associated with headaches and migraines, respiratory disorders, cardiovascular disease, and general health.
Further studies on misaligned vertebrae could shed light on the relationship between back pain and other health issues.
Clinical Trial: Comparing Medication, Acupuncture, and Chiropractic Treatment
Giles LGF & Muller R., Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 1999
If lasting relief to back pain can only be found with proper treatment, the question then becomes which treatment is best. This clinical trial divided patients with back pain into three groups. Each received a different treatment: Medicine (anti-inflammatories and painkillers), acupuncture, and chiropractic treatments.
Chiropractic treatment resulted in back pain relief three times more often than the other two methods.
Manipulation under Anesthesia
Palmieri N & Smoyak S., Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 2002
Some types of chiropractic treatment can be more effective than others. This study divided patients with lower back pain into two groups. One received traditional chiropractic treatment. The other received manipulation under anesthesia, which is a non-invasive procedure that sedates patients for 15-20 minutes. This enables them to do deep, pain-free stretching – which helps break up scar tissue.
The group that received manipulation under anesthesia self reported more improvement than the other patients. Researchers found these self-reported results promising but concluded that more large-scale studies on manipulation under anesthesia are needed.
Case Report: Chiropractic treatment Aiding Pain Relief, Increased Mobility, and Urination Issues
McCoy M., Today’s Chiropractic, 2001
Chiropractic treatment aids in long term pain relief while benefiting your body in other ways as well. A 65-year-old patient had gout, high blood pressure, and wore reading glasses. After a back surgery, he began experiencing other side effects: Pain in his legs, numbness, tingling, difficulty moving, and vision problems. He was also urinating every half hour.
The patient began upper cervical management. This precise, noninvasive procedure realigns the top two vertebrae in the spine. He experienced some symptoms the night after his first adjustment, but they all resolved by morning.
After a five-month period, the patient had improved significantly. The numbness and tingling disappeared. He was walking better, using his cane less, and sitting and standing with less effort. Urination went back to normal and he stopped needing his reading glasses.
Back Pain Relief With Elevate Chiropractic
If you've ever suffered from back pain, chiropractic care may be a good fit for your wellness plan. Whether you're beginning the healing process or adding to current treatments, we're eager to help.
Schedule your free consultation here.
