Here at Northcote Chiro, our focus is on wellness and we strive to educate our clients to understand that Chiropractic is not just a quick fix. It is an investment in their overall health as it allows their bodies to function at their optimum.
We believe that prevention and healthy function is always the best medicine.
“He who has no time for his health today may have no health for his time tomorrow.”
So, let’s look at one study:
‘Does Maintained Spinal Manipulation Therapy for Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain Result in Better Long-Term Outcome?’ (2013)
Mohammed K. Senna, MD, and Shereen A. Machaly, MD.
Spine Vol 36, No 18, Pg 1427-1437
This study investigates whether Chiropractic care has an impact on the long-term reduction of pain and disability levels associated with chronic non-specific lower back pain.
The study was carried out on 60 patients, divided into three randomised groups who received:
Group 1 – 12 treatments of sham Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) over a one month period
Group 2 – 12 treatments of SMT over a one month period, with no subsequent follow-up treatment for nine months following
Group 3 – 12 treatments over a one month period followed with spinal maintenance manipulation every two weeks for nine months
And the results were:
Group 2 and 3 reported significantly lower pain and disability scores at the end of one month. However, Group 3, who also under-took maintenance visits, showed more improvement in pain and disability scores at the 10-month evaluation. In the non-maintained group, pain and disability scores returned almost entirely to their pre-treatment level.
With any study there are limitations; the small size of the survey group is one limitation, and another is that it doesn’t explore the use of postural exercises in any of the groups or reduction of aggravating factors for lower back pain.
What this study DOES show is that if all lifestyle factors stay the same, Chiropractic can have a positive effect on a short-term basis and even more so, on the long term.
So remember to keep up with your maintenance visits, and we look forward to seeing you very soon.
Emma Burniston
