Study Shows Chiropractic Beneficial

A recent review showed that chiropractic care was beneficial for the treatment of lower back pain, but said that "the review found no evidence that chiropractic works significantly better than care provided by other clinicians."(see the article "Chiropractic Treatment Offers Some Relief for Early Low Back Pain")

This is probably true, since the "care provided by other clinicians" in the study included that of "massage, heat and cold, exercise, physiotherapy, analgesics, lumbar support, spinal manipulation and education." I might have lost my mind, but other than the "analgesics"(pain medications), that sounds a lot like what I do every single day in my office. Could it be that the "other clinicians" are finally coming around to the realization that back pain is best treated non-surgically and through manipulation, massage, and therapy?

The problem with this simple review is that the author never addresses the long negative effects of the therapies involved. Lets say, for argument sake, that the pain medication is just as beneficial as chiropractic adjustments for the treatment of back pain. What about the long term effects of medication vs manipulation?

It makes since to choose what works, and what doesn't harm. Chiropractic is safe. Good chiropractors will combine manipulation with massage, therapy, education, exercise training, and wellness care. All can be safely done without the negative long and short term effects of a medication.