Most patients suffering with acute mild or moderate low back pain recover in a short period of time using heat or cold packs and maintenance of most of their usual activities. Among those who have greater pain and dysfunction, many seek professional health care.
Recently, the American College of Physicians commissioned an evidence-based review of the scientific literature to advise health care professionals and patients how best to manage low back pain and disability. They used only data from randomized clinical trials (high quality research) to measure treatment benefit.
The results from this panel’s research were published in Annals of Internal Medicine. This scientific review board found several treatments that demonstrated effectiveness.
For patients with acute low back pain (symptoms fewer than 12 weeks’ duration), spinal manipulation, therapeutic massage, acupuncture and superficial heat were effective.
For patients with chronic low back pain (symptoms more than 12 weeks’ duration), spinal manipulation, therapeutic exercise, acupuncture, stress reduction and low-level laser therapy were effective.
This guideline specifically instructed clinicians to avoid prescribing costly therapies and those with substantial potential harms, such as long-term opioids, and pharmacologic therapies that were not shown to be effective, such as antidepressants.
Another scientific review published in the Journal of the American Medical Association investigated the effects of spinal manipulation for patients with fewer than six weeks of low back pain. This research team also examined only randomized clinical trials. They confirmed the findings of Annals of Internal Medicine that spinal manipulation is effective for reducing pain and improving function.
This is very good news for the millions of Americans who suffer with these symptoms, especially because these treatments (under the guidance of a licensed professional) have an excellent safety record.
Dr. Brian Grieves is a doctor of chiropractic with a master’s degree in public health and a member of the Shawano Community Health Action Team (CHAT). Call 715-524-8722 for more information.
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