There is some (albeit not compelling) evidence to suggest that
chiropractic spinal manipulation might be effective for treating
non-specific back pain. But what about specific back pain, such as the
one caused by a herniated disc? Some experts believe that, in patients
suffering from such a condition, manipulations are contra-indicated (because the latter can cause the former), while others think that manipulation might be an effective treatment option (although the evidence is far from compelling).
Who is correct? The issue can only be resolved with data from
well-designed clinical investigations. A new trial might therefore
enlighten us.
The stated purposes of this study were:
- to evaluate patients with low-back pain (LBP) and leg pain due to
magnetic resonance imaging-confirmed disc herniation treated with
high-velocity, low-amplitude spinal manipulation in terms of their
short-, medium-, and long-term outcomes of self-reported global
impression of change and pain levels
- to determine if outcomes differ between acute and chronic patients using...
Read the rest here:
Edzard Ernst | MD, PhD, FMedSci, FSB, FRCP, FRCPEd
