Dr. Michael Scales DC, CCN, DACBN is a Doctor of Chiropractic and a Nutritionist who believes that health can be easily improved through education and improving poor day to day habits.

By Dr. Michael J. Scales, D.C.

Many people are surprised about the amount of research that demonstrates the safety and effectiveness of chiropractic care, especially in light of the popular notion that chiropractic is not scientific. In recent years, numerous independent researchers and various government agencies have conducted studies on the efficacy, appropriateness and cost-effectiveness of chiropractic treatment. What follows is a summary of this body of evidence to help educate the public on this natural and safe form of health care that effectively treats the #1 symptom in the world: back pain.

EFFECTIVENESS

The Manga Report 1993
“Chiropractic was the treatment of choice for low back pain” according to this report that summarized all the international evidence on the management of back pain by the Ontario Ministry of Health in Canada. It recommended all low back pain patients be referred to chiropractors.

“… for low-back pain, chiropractic care is the most effective treatment.”

“… spinal manipulation applied by chiropractors is shown to be more effective that alternative treatments for low-back pain.”

“… injured workers diagnosed with low-back pain returned to work much sooner when treated by chiropractors than by physicians.”

“The overwhelming body of evidence shows that chiropractic care is more cost effective than medical care, and many medical therapies are of questionable validity or are clearly inadequate… Chiropractic manipulation is safer than medical management of low-back pain.”

The RAND Corporation Study 1991
“ Spinal manipulation was an effective treatment for low back disorders” according to this report from a panel of independent experts who surveyed existing studies. The RAND study marked the first time that representatives of the medical community went on record stating that spinal manipulation is an appropriate treatment for low-back pain.

The U.S. Government Agency Report 1994
An independent multidisciplinary panel of clinicians and other experts developed guidelines for the U.S. Agency for Health.

Care Policy and Research (AHCPR) and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. They endorsed spinal manipulation for acute low back pain and concluded that relief can be accomplished most safely with spinal manipulation and/or nonprescription medications.

British Medical Journal 1990
A 10-year study conducted by T.W. Meade M.D. in this prestigious medical journal concluded that chiropractic medicine is significantly superior to traditional medical care, as measured by pain relieved, time off from work, and money spent on treatment. “For patients with low-back pain in whom manipulation is not contraindicated, chiropractic almost certainly confers worthwhile, long term benefit in comparison with hospital outpatient management.”

The New Zealand Commission Report
This research studied cost-effectiveness, education and training, safety issues, and patient satisfaction. This 377-page document concluded that including chiropractic would have a positive influence on the health of the country. The commission reported itself “irresistibly and with complete unanimity drawn to the conclusion that modern chiropractic is soundly-based and a valuable branch of health care.”

Florida Workers’ Compensation Study 1988
This study found “Temporary total disability for chiropractic patients was 51.3% shorter than for patients receiving medical care. The cost of chiropractic care was 58.8% less than the cost of standard medical care.

Saskatchewan Clinical Research 1993
Both medical and chiropractic researchers at the Back Pain Clinic at the Royal University Hospital in Saskatchewan concluded, “the treatment of lumbar intervertebral disc herniation by side posture manipulation is both safe and effective.”

American Health Policy Report 1992
A review of data from over 2,000,000 users of chiropractic care in the U.S. reported in the Journal of American Health Policy that “chiropractic patients tend to have substantially lower health care costs, and chiropractic care reduces the use of both physician and hospital care.”

The Av-Med Study 1993
A large HMO in the southeast wanted to see if it could save money by having patients visit chiropractors for back pain. They chose 100 patients, 80 of whom had already been treated medically without results. 21% of these had been diagnosed with disc injury, 5% received emergency room treatment and 12% had been scheduled for surgery. Following chiropractic treatment, no surgery was required, and 86% needed no further treatment at all. Herbert Davis, M.D. the medical director of Av-Med said that chiropractic care saved the HMO $250,000.

The Gallup Study 1991
The Gallup Organization conducted a demographic poll, which revealed that 90% of chiropractic patients felt their care was effective. More than 80% were satisfied with their care, and almost 75% felt most of their expectations had been met during the care.

Quebec Task Force Whiplash Protocols 1995
This report funded by the Quebec Automobile Insurance Society was to determine the effectiveness of various treatments after whiplash-associated disorders (WAD’s). The researchers concluded, “most therapeutic interventions currently used in patients with WAD have not been evaluated in a scientifically rigorous manner.” However, “interventions that promote activity such as mobilization, manipulation, and exercises in combination with NSAID’s are effective.”

Duke University Headache Evidence Report 2000
This headache project was based on the systematic evaluation of the literature consisting of over 2,500 citations by a multidisciplinary panel of experts. The reports states “chiropractic care showed markedly superior results afterward in the treatment of tension-type headaches.” In addition, in regards to cervicogenic headaches, “a course of manipulation treatments is shown to produce sustained improvement in headache frequency and severity.”
Canadian Medical Association Report on the Safety of Manipulation 2001
This study authored by medical and chiropractic doctors addressed the risk of stroke following neck adjustments. They found the chance for injury to be 1 in every 5.85 million adjustments, which is consistent with several other studies investigating this same issue. In comparison, a recent study conducted by the Institute of Medicine in 1999 concluded that medical error causes 100,000 deaths per year, making it the fourth leading cause of death in the
U.S. behind heart disease, cancer, and stroke. It is quite evident that chiropractic care is by far a safer health care choice.

WHAT MEDICAL DOCTORS SAY ABOUT CHIROPRACTIC

North American Spine Society, 1991
M.D.s now categorize chiropractic manipulation with the highest rating: “Generally accepted, well-established and widely used.”

The Journal of Family Practice, 1992
“ A majority of family physicians (in Washington) admitted having encouraged patients to see a chiropractor, and two-thirds indicated a desire to learn more about what chiropractors do.”

T. W. Meade, M.D.
“ Our trials showed that chiropractic is a very effective treatment, more effective than conventional treatment for low-back pain…particularly in patients… who have severe problems.”

“… one of the unexpected findings…looks as though the treatment that the chiropractors give does something that results in a very long-term benefit.”

Norton Hadler, M.D.
Manipulative medicine is no longer a taboo topic.”

IN CONCLUSION
Please share this information with people you think may benefit from chiropractic care but are reluctant due to a false fear. Discuss this topic with your medical doctor and relay this research to them.

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Schillinger Chiropractic & Wellness Group
(415) 491-0959
1050 Northgate Drive, Suite 1
San Rafael, CA 94903