Most Chiropractic Clinic Explains the Value of Chiropractic Research
Research makes the healthcare world go ‘round! Research solidifies the role of healthcare’s relief of pain. In chiropractic healthcare, much research entails documenting chiropractic’s benefit for painful musculoskeletal conditions like neck pain, back pain, arm pain and sciatic leg pain. Most Chiropractic Clinic offers just such research-documented, effective care to our Murfreesboro chiropractic patients.
CHALLENGE: DO HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH
A group of back pain researchers challenged fellow researchers to create long-term plans to reduce the problem of low back pain on patients and healthcare systems. They clarified that developing effective strategies continues to be a huge task for back pain clinicians, doctors, and researchers. Vexingly, back pain disability levels have not increased despite an increased quantity of published research papers regarding back pain care. No consensus on the best way to manage low back pain has been achieved. Non-drug and non-invasive approaches like exercise, manual therapy, massage, and such are general recommendations. Other reviewing researchers indicated a few problems with back pain research: design and analysis within the treatment clinical trials. (1) Designing research studies is tough. Designing a “sham” protocol for spinal manipulation that feels like spinal manipulation is really challenging. (Just touching a spine can help some, but that is a topic for a different article!) Observational studies are the next best thing. How so? Researchers observe what happens to patients when they undergo treatment and describe changes and effects. Fortuitously, Cox® Technic research has a mix of biomechanical and clinical observational studies resulting in case reports, case series, plus retrospective and prospective clinical studies. Most Chiropractic Clinic feels this mix of research support helps outline the expectations our Murfreesboro chiropractic patients may anticipate.
MINIMAL CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
Occasionally, chiropractic physicians and low back pain patients alike are disappointed with the outcomes of treatment for back pain. They shouldn’t be! In medicine, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) is defined as 30% or 20% and even 10% improvement. That is reported to be an “effective” outcome. Cox® Technic has proposed 50% improvement in 30 days as the goal…and still does. Often, chiropractic patients find that 50% relief in fewer than 30 days and that the 50% relief is closer to 70% or 80% or 90%! Sometimes, a patient’s response may be slower in attaining relief or only reaches 30% or 40%. Some patients want more while others, particularly patients who have previously had back surgery or sought non-relieving care from many other providers, are thrilled. A study of 1232 low back pain subjects found a MCID pain intensity of 2 (meaning a 2 point change on a scale of 0 no pain to 10 worst imaginable pain). That is not a big move but is reasonable. (2) It is a statistic to consider. Weighed against medical and surgical outcomes for back pain treatment that are as low as 10% or 30% expected improvement MCID, our Murfreesboro chiropractic clinical outcome goals are high and often achieved.
THE CHALLENGE OF CHIROPRACTIC RESEARCH – AND HOW CHIROPRACTIC ANSWERS
Chiropractic, like other complementary and integrative healthcare professions, has a little more difficulty in keeping research flowing as many programs are not incorporated into large university settings with well-established and well-financed research departments. Global chiropractic researchers are seeking a solution. Australia, Canada, and Denmark chiropractic researchers have formed a leadership academy (CARL – Chiropractic Academy for Research Leadership) for early-career chiropractic researchers to promote more chiropractic research. US-based researchers are turning to the RAND Corporation’s Center for Collaborative CIH Research to pool research talent and resources to elevate chiropractic’s quality and quantity of research. (3,4) Solid research carries on at chiropractic universities to record the benefits of chiropractic for musculoskeletal-related pain like back pain, neck pain, arm pain and leg pain.
CONTACT Most Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST with Ram Gudavalli, PhD, principal investigator of many Cox® Technic research studies, on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes research studies of which he’s been a part.
Schedule your next Murfreesboro chiropractic appointment today. Bring your questions about the research supporting our chiropractic care with you! Most Chiropractic Clinic is always ready to share research!
