The following excerpts are from a few of the more recent studies. Upon reviewing the numerous studies on the safety and effectiveness of Chiropractic, you will find that Chiropractic offers tremendous potential in meeting your health care challenges.

In Comparison to Other Treatment Alternatives
Patient Satisfaction, Popularity of Chiropractic, Cost Effectiveness
Preventive & Maintenance Chiropractic Care,Chronic Headaches & Chronic Low Back Pain
The Recurrent Nature of Back Pain
Spinal Manipulation and Stabilization Exercises

In Comparison to Other Treatment Alternatives

“Patients with chronic low-back pain treated by Chiropractors showed greater improvement and satisfaction at one month than patients treated by Family Physicians. Satisfaction scores were higher for Chiropractic patients. A higher proportion of Chiropractic patients (56 percent vs. 13 percent) reported that their low-back pain was better or much better, where as nearly one-third of Medical patients reported their low-back pain was worse or much worse.”
– Nyiendo et al (2000), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics

A study of Spinal Manipulation (Manual Therapy) versus Exercise Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain patients demonstrated that the “…Manual Therapy (Spinal Manipulation) group showed significant larger improvements than the Exercise Therapy group on all outcome variables at all follow up times (post-treatments, at 4 weeks, at 6 months, and at 1 year).

Conclusions: Manual Therapy (Spinal Manipulation) showed significantly greater improvement than Exercise Therapy. Differences were significant on all outcome measures, both on short and long term follow up (exams).”
-- Aure, et al (2003) Spine Journal

“In our randomized, controlled trial, we compared the effectiveness of Manual Therapy (Spinal Manipulation), Physical Therapy, and continued care by a General Practitioner in patients with nonspecific Neck Pain. The success rate at seven weeks was twice as high for the Manual Therapy (Spinal Manipulation) group (68.3 percent) as for the continued care group (General Practitioner). Manual Therapy (Spinal Manipulation) scored better than Physical Therapy on all outcome measures. Patients receiving Manual Therapy (Spinal Manipulation) had fewer absences from work than patients receiving Physical Therapy or continued care, and Manual Therapy and Physical Therapy each resulted in statistically significant less analgesic use than continued care with a General Practitioner.

Conclusion: Spinal Manipulation is a favorable treatment option for Neck Pain patients versus Physical Therapy or continued General Practitioner.”
– Hoving et al (2002), Annals of Internal Medicine

In a Randomized controlled trial, 183 patients with neck pain were randomly allocated to Manual Therapy (Spinal Manipulation), Physiotherapy (mainly exercise) or General Practitioner care (counseling, education and drugs) in a 52-week study. The clinical outcomes measures showed that Manual Therapy (Spinal Manipulation) resulted in faster recovery than Physiotherapy and General Practitioner care. Moreover, total costs of the Manual Therapy-treated (Spinal Manipulation) patients were about one-third of the costs of Physiotherapy or General Practitioner care.
-- Korthals-de Bos et al (2003), British Medical Journal

“Results are a summary of the Cochrane review: Effectiveness of Spinal Manipulation for Acute Low Back Pain: Patients receiving Spinal Manipulation had statistically significant and clinically significant (felt better!) short term improvement in pain versus sham therapy. Improvements in function were clinically relevant… Spinal Manipulation resulted in short-term pain relief versus other Therapies judged ineffective or possibly even harmful…Improvement in short-term function with Spinal Manipulation versus ineffective Therapies…Effectiveness of Spinal Manipulation for Chronic Low Back Pain: Spinal Manipulation was significantly more effective than sham on … short-term and long-term pain relief… on short-term improvement of function…more effective versus the group of Therapies…on short-term pain relief and function.”
-- Van Tulder, et al, (2005) Best Practices and Research Clinical Rheumatology

Patient Satisfaction, Popularity of Chiropractic, Cost Effectiveness

“Over a 1 year study, Spinal Manipulation is a cost effective addition to “Best Care” for back pain in general practice. Spinal Manipulation probably gives better value for the money than Spinal Manipulation followed by exercise. This is the first study to show convincingly that both Spinal Manipulations alone and Spinal Manipulation followed by exercise provide cost effective additions to care in “Best Care” general practice.”
-- United Kingdom BEAM study, (2004), British Medical Journal

In a comparative analysis (by the ACN Insurance Management Company – Premera, Aetna, Great West, etc.) of individuals with and without Chiropractic coverage:
“Despite the evidence for safety, effectiveness, and growing public demand for Chiropractic, … health insurance coverage for Chiropractic continues to be restricted. A comprehensive overview of the literature reveals that it is essentially unanimous in reporting that Chiropractic care is associated with significantly higher Patient satisfaction compared with patients who receive conventional treatments. A 4 year study comparing 707,690 health plan members with Chiropractic coverage to 1,001,995 members without Chiropractic coverage…Conclusion: Inclusion of a Chiropractic benefit in a managed care plan results in a reduction in overall utilization of health care resources and cost savings. We estimate an annual reduction of $16 million in patients with Chiropractic coverage as a result of lower utilization of high cost items. This is a conservative estimate.”
-- Legorreta, et al, (2004), Archives of Internal Medicine

“Chiropractic patients were found to be more satisfied with their back care providers after four weeks of treatment than were Medical patients. Results from observational studies suggested that back pain patients are more satisfied with Chiropractic care than with medical care. Additionally, studies conclude that patients are more satisfied with Chiropractic care than they were with Physical Therapy after six weeks.”
-- Hertzman-Miller et al (2002), American Journal of Public Health

“Chiropractic is the largest, most regulated, and best recognized of the complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) professions. CAM patient surveys show that Chiropractors are used more often than any other alternative provider group and patient satisfaction with chiropractic care is very high. There is steadily increasing patient use of Chiropractic in the United States, which has tripled in the past two decades.”
– Meeker, Haldeman (2002), Annals of Internal Medicine



Preventive & Maintenance Chiropractic Care Chronic Headaches &
Chronic Low Back Pain

“Study confirms that Low Back Pain and Disability are reduced after Spinal Manipulation. It shows positive effects of preventive Chiropractic treatment in maintaining functional capacities and reducing the number and intensity of pain episodes after an acute phase of treatment.’
-- Descarreaux, et al (2004), Journal of Manipulation and Physiological Therapeutics

“There was a positive, clinically important effect of the number of Chiropractic treatments for the patient with Chronic Low Back Pain (and the degree of) intensity and disability at 4 weeks of care. Relief was substantial for patients receiving care 3 to 4x/wk for 3 weeks. The dose-response for pain intensity suggests that more Chiropractic treatments may be required to reach the optimal benefit. Also, there was a positive clinically important effect of the number of treatments on Chronic Low Back Pain at 4 weeks (on decreasing the pain intensity and level of disability).”
-- Hass, et al, (2004) Spine Journal

A study on the number of treatments patients received versus the degree of Headache pain associated with Neck dysfunction and pain showed:
“… substantial differences were found between subjects getting 1 (treatment)/week and with those receiving either 3 or 4 treatments/week. Improvement was substantial in magnitude compared with baseline for the higher dose groups. Comparable differences between groups were found for Headache disability at 12 weeks. There was also a considerable reduction in the number of Headaches in the group having a larger number of visits….Larger numbers of visits produced greater benefits.”
-- Hass, et al, (2004), Journal of Manipulation and Physiological Therapeutics

“Study confirms that (Chronic) Low Back Pain and Disability are reduced after Spinal Manipulation. It shows positive effects of preventive Chiropractic treatment in maintaining functional capacities and reducing the number and intensity of pain episodes (or flare-ups) after an acute phase of (Spinal Manipulation) treatments.”
-- Descarreaux, et al, (2004) Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics

“Acute and chronic Chiropractic patients experienced better outcomes in pain, functional disability, and patient satisfaction; and clinically important differences in pain intensity and disability improvement were found for chronic (Back Pain) patients.”
– Haas et al (2005), Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics

“Cervical spine manipulation was associated with significant improvement in Headache outcomes in trials involving patients with Neck pain and/or Neck dysfunction and Headache.”
-- Duke Evidence Report, McCrory, Penzlen, Hasselblad, Gray (2001)

“The results of this study show that Spinal Manipulative therapy is an effective treatment for tension Headaches. . . Four weeks after cessation of treatment . . . the patients who received Spinal Manipulative therapy experienced a sustained therapeutic benefit in all major outcomes in contrast to the patients that received amitriptyline therapy, who reverted to baseline values.”
-- Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, Boline et al. (1995)



The Recurrent Nature of Back Pain

“Review a study in which 373 patients under 40 years old, with their first onset of back pain followed for 10 years and 89% had recurrences and only 33% had no lost time from work from future back problems. Strategies to manage Low Back Pain must be long term and preventive.”
-- Frank, et al, (1993) , British Medical Journal

“The relation between pain intensity, disability, and the episodic nature of chronic and recurrent Low Back Pain….two-thirds of the people who have had back pain in the past year can be expected to have some symptoms every year.”
-- Mcgorry, et al, (2000), Spine Journal

“(In a study of) 463 patients that saw their General Practitioner for Low Back Pain in a 12 month period. By 3 months, only a minority of Low back Pain patients recover and there was little increase in the percent who recovered by 12 months, emphasizing the recurrent and persistent nature of Low Back Pain. Findings are in sharp contrast to the assumption that 90% of Low Back Pain in primary care resolves within 1 month. A previous episode of Low Back Pain is the strongest risk factor for a new episode. By age 30 almost half the study population has had a substantive episode of Low Back Pain. These figures simply do not fit with claims that 90% of episodes of Low Back Pain end in complete recovery.”
-- Croft, et al, (1998), British Medical Journal

“Findings indicate that patients seeking care for Back Pain or Neck Pain should be considered a high risk for further Back Pain or Neck Pain. This is consistent with Vingard’s findings that although there was improvement during the first 3 months, few patients seeking care for Low Back Pain or Neck Pain were pain free after 2 years.”
-- Enthoven, et al, (2004) Spine Journal

Spinal Manipulation and Stabilization Exercises

“Significant differences between (2 groups who received Spinal Manipulation and Stabilization Exercises vs. Stabilization Exercises alone) groups appears at 1 week for pain and range of motion and at 4 weeks for disability. All 3 outcomes increased further with time. Acute Low Back Pain who receive Spinal Manipulation plus exercise program improve to a greater extent than patients who receive the exercise program alone. Patients who receive Spinal Manipulation plus Exercise for Acute Low Back Pain will improve more and faster than patients who receive exercises alone. Spinal Manipulation appears to be cost-effective.”
-- Morton, et al, (1999) Journal of Manual and Manipulation Therapy

A randomized clinical trial of 3 types of treatment: 1. MedX exercise machine for the neck exercises, 2. Spinal Manipulation with Neck Strengthening exercises with weighted headgear, and 3. Spinal Manipulation alone; for patients with Chronic Neck Pain concluded: ”In terms of Neck performance, at least twice as much improvement in Spinal Manipulation with Neck strengthening exercises (weighted headgear and upper body exercise) compared to MedX exercise alone and compared to Spinal Manipulation alone in all measures including range of motion.“
-- Bronfort, et al (2001) Spine Journal

“Previous research found inferior performance on Cranio-Cervical (Neck) flexion test in idiopathic (unknown origin) Neck Pain and in Neck Pain after whiplash. Testing and retraining the Cervical (Neck) flexor synergy as part of a specific active stabilization program … in patients with cervicogenic (Neck induced) Headaches led to reduced Neck Pain, frequency, and intensity of Headaches.”
-- Falla, et al, (2004) Spine Journal



For more information on chiropractic research, click here to visit the Foundation for Chiropractic Education and Research (FCER).

*You will be offered more research & practical information on your first visit at Blue Stone Chiropractic.
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