Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. Explains the Value of Chiropractic Research
Research makes the healthcare world go ‘round! Research established the role of healthcare’s pain relieving ability. For chiropractic healthcare, much research revolves around documenting chiropractic’s benefit for painful musculoskeletal pain issues like back pain, neck pain, arm pain and sciatic leg pain. Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. delivers just such effective, research-documented care to our Auburn chiropractic patients.
CHALLENGE: DO HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH
One group of back pain researchers challenged fellow researchers to create long-term plans to decrease the problem of low back pain on sufferers and healthcare systems. They explained that developing effective strategies remains a daunting job for back pain clinicians, doctors, and researchers. Vexingly, back pain disability levels have not increased despite a larger number of published research reports about back pain care. No consensus on the best way to manage low back pain has been achieved. Non-drug and non-invasive methods like exercise, manual therapy, massage, and such are general recommendations. Another group of reviewing researchers indicated a few issues 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 seems like spinal manipulation is really challenging. (Just touching a spine can be relieving some, but that is a topic for another article!) Observational studies are the next in line. How so? Researchers observe what happens to patients when they experience treatment and make note of changes and effects. Fortuitously, Cox® Technic research has a blend of biomechanical and clinical observational studies resulting in case reports, case series, as well as retrospective and prospective clinical studies. Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. feels this mix of research support helps outline the expectations our Auburn chiropractic patients may anticipate.
MINIMAL CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
On occasion, chiropractic physicians and low back pain patients alike find themselves disappointed with the outcomes of treatment for back pain. They should not be! In medicine, the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) is defined as 30% or 20% and even 10% improvement. That’s reported to be an “effective” outcome. Cox® Technic has offered 50% improvement in 30 days as the goal…and still does. Often, chiropractic patients realize that 50% relief in less 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 getting relief or only reaches 30% or 40%. Some patients desire more while others, especially patients who have already gone through back surgery or sought non-relieving care from many other providers, are quite satisfied. A study of 1232 low back pain subjects found a MCID pain intensity of 2 (meaning a 2 point move 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 share. Weighed against medical and surgical outcomes for back pain treatment that are as low as 10% or 30% expected improvement MCID, our Auburn chiropractic clinical outcome goals are high and frequently achievable.
THE CHALLENGE OF CHIROPRACTIC RESEARCH – AND HOW CHIROPRACTIC ANSWERS
Chiropractic, like other complementary and integrative healthcare professions, experiences a little more effort in keeping research flowing as many programs are not incorporated into large university situations with well-established and well-financed research departments. Global chiropractic researchers are seeking am amswer. Australia, Canada, and Denmark chiropractic researchers have formed a leadership academy (CARL – Chiropractic Academy for Research Leadership) for early-career chiropractic researchers to stimulate 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 continues at chiropractic universities to record the benefits of chiropractic for musculoskeletal-related pain like back pain, neck pain, arm pain and leg pain.
CONTACT Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C.
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 explains research studies he’s managed.
Make your next Auburn chiropractic appointment soon. Bring your questions about the research supporting our chiropractic care with you! Dr. Le's Chiropractic & Wellness, L.L.C. is always ready to share research!
