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Wilson Family Chiropractic Explains the Value of Chiropractic Research

Research makes the healthcare world go ‘round! Research established the role of healthcare’s pain relieving ability. In chiropractic healthcare, much research entails documenting chiropractic’s benefit for painful musculoskeletal pain issues like neck pain, back pain, arm pain and sciatic leg pain. Wilson Family Chiropractic delivers just such effective, research-documented care to our Millville chiropractic patients.

CHALLENGE: DO HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH

A set of back pain researchers challenged fellow researchers to develop long-term plans to decrease the burden of low back pain on sufferers and healthcare systems. They explained that developing effective strategies remains a huge job for back pain clinicians, doctors, and researchers. Vexingly, back pain disability levels have not improved despite a larger number of published research reports regarding back pain care. No consensus on the optimal way to manage low back pain has been agreed upon. Non-drug and non-invasive methods like exercise, manual therapy, massage, and such are typical recommendations. Another group of reviewing researchers pointed to a few problems with back pain research: design and analysis within the treatment clinical trials. (1) Designing research studies is difficult. Designing a “sham” protocol for spinal manipulation that feels like spinal manipulation is especially challenging. (Just touching a spine can help some, but that is a topic for a different discussion!) Observational studies are the next best thing. How so? Researchers observe how patients respond when they go through treatment and describe changes and effects. Fortuitously, Cox® Technic research has a blend of biomechanical and clinical observational studies resulting in case reports, case series, plus retrospective and prospective clinical studies. Wilson Family Chiropractic feels this mix of research support helps explain to our Millville chiropractic patients what clinical outcome relief they may anticipate.

MINIMAL CLINICAL IMPORTANCE

Sometimes, chiropractic physicians and low back pain patients alike are disappointed with the outcomes of treatment for back pain. They should not be! In medicine, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) is reported 30% or 20% and even 10% improvement. That is reported as an “effective” outcome. Cox® Technic has proposed 50% improvement in 30 days as the aim…and still does. Many times, chiropractic patients realize that 50% relief in less than a month 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 desire more while others, especially patients who have already had back surgery or sought non-relieving care from many other providers, are thrilled. A study of 1232 low back pain subjects discovered a MCID pain intensity of 2 (meaning a 2 point move on a scale of 0 no pain to 10 worst imaginable pain). That’s not a big move but is realistic. (2) It is a statistic to share. Weighed against medical and surgical outcomes for back pain treatment that are as low as 10% or 30% expected improvement MCID, our Millville chiropractic clinical outcome objectives 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 maintaining a flow of research as many programs are not incorporated into large university situations with well-established and well-financed research departments. Global chiropractic researchers are looking for am amswer.  Australia, Canada, and Denmark chiropractic researchers have created 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 combine research talent and assets to advance chiropractic’s quality and quantity of research.  (3,4) Solid research carries on at chiropractic universities to document the benefits of chiropractic for musculoskeletal-related pain like back pain, neck pain, arm pain and leg pain.

CONTACT Wilson Family Chiropractic

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.

Make your next Millville chiropractic appointment today. Bring your questions about the research behind our chiropractic care with you! Wilson Family Chiropractic loves to share research! 

 
Wilson Family Chiropractic communicates the importance and value of chiropractic research in healthcare decision-making and relevance. 
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."