Low back pain is one of the most common symptoms that cause people to visit their doctor. In fact, back pain is the second leading cause of visits to the doctor in the United States. About 80 percent of all patients report having low back pain at some point during their lives.
Fortunately, there are many effective treatments including medications, lifestyle behavior changes, exercise, and occupational and physical therapies that can help reduce the symptoms and suffering associated with low back pain. In addition to these treatments, complementary therapies – such as chiropractic, massage, and acupuncture – are sought by many patients today to reduce their low back pain.
In many cases, individuals seek such treatments because they are dissatisfied with conventional treatments. But more often, according to research, people seek these treatments because they believe they will be helped by them. So, what does the literature say about these treatments and their effectiveness in treating low back pain?
Chiropractic is one of the more popular complementary therapies sought out for the treatment of low back pain. According to research, spinal manipulation appears to be similar to conventional treatments in its ability to relieve both acute and chronic low back pain. Research does not suggest that it is better than conventional treatments.
Massage appears to be effective in the treatment of chronic back pain and may be particularly helpful in improving a person's ability to function and carry out his or her daily activities.
Acupuncture has not been clearly proven to be effective in the treatment of acute or chronic low back pain. There is conflicting research information with some reports suggesting that acupuncture might be helpful in treating low back pain and others suggesting no benefit. So the effectiveness of acupuncture in treating acute or chronic low back pain is unclear at this time. Many individuals, however, report relief from lower back pain with acupuncture treatments. There are also numerous case reports of people whose back pain was relieved by acupuncture. A recent study showed that acupuncture might be effective for the treatment of chronic lower back pain in older adults.
These are the main complementary therapies that have been studied in relation to low back pain. Many others are currently being researched. There is evidence that a regular practice of simple relaxation techniques, such as deep abdominal breathing, guided imagery, and meditation can be effective in helping people cope with their symptoms.
To achieve low back pain relief often requires the use of several therapies at one time. One person with back pain might benefit most from medications and massage, while another person could benefit from medications and physical therapy. Research has yet to determine the best combinations of conventional and complementary therapies for patients. |
