Studying the Impact of Chiropractic Care
By Genevieve Smith
The practice of chiropractic is just over 120 years old. While excitement surrounded the breakthrough discovery that spinal manipulations contribute to health, the practice has come into question time and again over the last century. Unfortunately, unsupported claims coming from within the chiropractic practice have tarnished the reputation for successful pain management. There are significant studies to support chiropractic’s success with pain, however, so let’s dig in.
Chiropractic and Reducing Opioid Dependence
The opioid epidemic is tragic, and the medical community is trying to solve the problem. In that vein, a doctor associated with Dartmouth took a look at 33,000 cases of lower back pain in the state of New Hampshire. The doctor was looking for an association between the application of chiropractic care and frequency of opioid use. The study, conducted recently, has promising results. It found around a 56 percent drop in opioid use when patients with lower back pain saw chiropractors. The application of chiropractic could thus have a major impact on reducing opioid prescriptions, lowering the number of prescription drugs available to harm communities and individuals.
Low Back Pain and the Benefit of Chiropractic
A study conducted in April of this year examined whether chiropractic has neutral, negative, or positive effects on treating lower back pain. A total of 26 case trials were evaluated. Patients in these cases saw a chiropractor, seeking relief for acute lower back pain. The study found evidence to support the benefits of chiropractic. It concluded that “spinal manipulative therapy was associated with statistically significant benefits in both pain and function.” The study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.
Examining the Risk for Stroke
It has long been a fear that manual manipulation of the upper neck may cause vertebrobasilar artery (VBA) strokes. A study published on PubMed investigated the association. Researchers looked at 818 cases of VBA stroke, wherein sufferers under the age of 45 were three times as likely to have seen a chiropractor or a primary care doctor prior to their stroke. There was little association found between manual manipulations and VBA strokes, however. Rather, it seems possible that patients on the brink of stroke were seeing either their primary care doctor or chiropractor to address the headaches and neck irritations they were experiencing in the unknowing lead-up to their strokes. The study found “no evidence of excess risk of VBA stroke associated [with] chiropractic care compared to primary care.” A case in the direction of correlation rather than causation.
If you would like to examine the personal benefits of regular chiropractic care for joint maintenance, stop by The Joint. They are appointment-free, and intended to serve your health for upkeep purposes. Ask about affordable pricing options -- and tips to improve your daily posture, while you’re at it. With mounting evidence in favor of manual manipulations, particularly when it comes to pain management, there is no reason to wait.
To learn more about your health and wellness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in San Marcos, Calif.