Like any chronic pain problem, chronic lower back pain can be a frustrating phenomena; remitting at one point only to reemerge later on. Finding ways to prevent recurring episodes of back pain is an area of ongoing research. A recent study suggests that chiropractic care may be better at preventing recurring back pain than standard medical treatments.
Researchers examined the medical records of 894 adults with work-related lower back pain. They then categorized patients based on which healthcare provided they visited, including medical doctors, physical therapists, chiropractors, or a combination of chiropractic and physical therapy. The study authors looked at how quickly patients were able to recover from their initial episode of low-back pain, and whether they experienced recurrent disability several months after the initial treatment.
The results show that chiropractic patients were able to return to work sooner after an episode of back pain, and spend less money on health maintenance care after the initial treatment. Chiropractic patients were also significantly less likely to experience recurrent back pain.
These results confirm what we've seen in our Aloha & Beaverton patients with back pain: that chiropractic care can provide lasting relief by addressing the causes of pain rather than masking the symptoms with pain medication. Whether you've been injured on the job or are recovering from an auto injury, our Aloha & Beaverton chiropractors and physical therapists offer efficient, lasting results.
Reference
Cifuentes M, Willetts J, Wasiak R. Health maintenance care in work-related low back pain and its association with disability recurrence. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2011; 53(4): 396-404.
