Chiropractic Research

Alternative or mainline health care?

In the early years there is no doubt that Chiropractic failed to produce a reasonable volume of research. However, in the last 25 years, Chiropractic has an impressive record considering the absence of funding from the traditional sources that medicine enjoys. There is now an international network of full time researchers, the depth of which can be assessed by reading journals such as Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, a chiropractic journal. In addition many medical journals are accepting research done by chiropractors.

Medical Insurance and Lost Time savings

• In the English town of Wilmslow, where the National Health Service (NHS) provided chiropractic services, an audit found that the service saved the NHS nearly $1000 per patient.

• The Health and Safety Executive, established by the British Government, was given the task of reducing days lost from work by musculo-skeletal disorders by 30%. After intensive study they concluded that the professionals best placed to achieve this are chiropractors, osteopaths and musculo-skeletal physiotherapists.

• Following a government sponsored pilot chiropractic research study in Norway which demonstrated the cost-effectiveness of chiropractic care, Norway has announced direct state funding for chiropractic care. The governement has also voted to support the formation of a chiropractic college in Norway.

• A 2005 study by two insurance companies of 109,080 patients suffering from back pain clearly showed that inclusion of Chiropractic resulted in significant savings: $342 per patient for those consulting (mainly) chiropractors –vs- $506 for those consulting medical doctors (and, this excluded the costs of surgical and hospital care). Spine 30(12).

• New research done at Harvard Medical School proved that 'best medical care' is certainly not 'best': A randomised, controlled trial on 444 adults suffering from acute low back pain reports that patients who also received chiropractic, acupuncture or massage:
  1. had significantly less pain at 5 weeks.

  2. had a significant reduction in 'worry'.

  3. were more likely to use the word 'excellent' when asked about treatment satisfaction.

  The authors conclude: Good early results, combined with patient satisfaction and less worry translates into major benefits and less chronicity.

  So impressed were Harvard University health care officials that they immediately included chiropractic benefits to their health care system. Spine 32(2): Eisenberg, Post etal (2007)

RESEARCH PROPOSAL TOPICS

RATIONALE for Chiropractic therapy ... the "Adjustment".

Chiropractic Research

COLLEGE RESEARCH TOPICS

World Health Organisation WHO

The World Health Organisation (WHO) released its first policy document in November 2005 on chiropractic health care to governmental health authorities of 192 member nations to, inter alia, encourage the development of chiropractic health care in all national health systems.

Chronic and Acute Low Back Pain

In another Spine research article Aure et al showed that in a group of 49 patients with chronic low back pain, preventing them from working, that 67% of those receiving manipulation were back at work after two months in comparison with 27% who received exercise only.

Spinal Manipulation is recommended in medical journals too.

A review, reported in the British Medical Journal (June 2006): Over 1000 randomized, controlled trials of all treatments for LBP have now provided a "greatly improved' foundation for manipulation in the evidence-based management of LBP. Their conclusion is that spinal manipulation is recommended for both acute and chronic LBP, and that all surgery except discectomies (in cases that have not responded to conservative management) should be avoided. Diagnosis and treatment of Low Back Pain (LBP) - Koes, van Tulder and Thomas.

Exercise and Rehabilitation

Chiropractic Research

• Bronfort et al (Spine 2004) showed that a combined manipulation and exercise group had greater gains that the manipulation group alone.

• Interesting chiropractic research in Norway confirms that over 82% of patients with LBP are more than satisfied in the short term with chiropractic management. However, in the long term, they were less satisfied indicating more research into rehabilitation and continuing care to prevent reoccurrence of the pain. JMPT 28

• Spine (220): Dr Hartivsen (chiropractor) and Dr Christensen (medical doctor):

  A new study of 1387 pairs of Danish twins, aged 70+, confirms that seniors who lead a regular active lifestyle of cycling, gardening, long walks, gymnastics, dancing etc significantly reduces the risk of older people developing back pain.

Smoking

Other research on cadavers confirmed the blockage of the arteries of smokers which supply the lumbar spine with oxygen rich blood, explaining why smokers have more back pain, and respond more poorly to all forms of treatment of the lumbar spine. ATHEROSCLEROSIS SYMPTOMS LOW BACK PAIN ...

Anti inflammatory drugs and memory loss

Elder et al (American Journal of Sports Medicine) found that anti-inflammatories such as Celebrex impaired ligament and bone healing. Worse still, some NSAIDs have so-called anticholinergic side effects. They block the transfer of information from one nerve to another causing memory loss, foggy brain, blurred vision ...
ANTI INFLAMMATORY DRUGS ...

Read more about ANTICHOLINERGIC SIDE EFFECTS …

ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE RESEARCH

DISEASES OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM

RIB PAIN TREATMENT CaseFile

NOT Chiropractic Research

IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS @ Chiropractic Research