Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn 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 revolves around documenting chiropractic’s benefit for painful musculoskeletal pain issues like neck pain, back pain, arm pain and sciatic leg pain. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn delivers just such effective, research-documented care to our Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic patients.
CHALLENGE: DO HIGH QUALITY RESEARCH
A group of back pain researchers challenged fellow researchers to develop long-term plans to lower the burden of low back pain on sufferers and healthcare systems. They described that developing effective strategies remains a daunting job for back pain clinicians, doctors, and researchers. Frustratingly, back pain disability levels have not increased despite a larger number of published research papers about 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. 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. Coming up with a “sham” protocol for spinal manipulation that feels like spinal manipulation is really challenging. (Just touching a spine can help some, but that’s a topic for a different article!) Observational studies are the next in line. How so? Researchers observe how patients respond when they undergo treatment and note 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. Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn feels this mix of research support helps define to our Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic patients what clinical outcome relief they may expect.
MINIMAL CLINICAL IMPORTANCE
Occasionally, chiropractic physicians and low back pain patients alike find themselves 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 as an “effective” outcome. Cox® Technic has offered 50% improvement in 30 days as the aim…and still does. Often, chiropractic patients find 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 getting relief or only reaches 30% or 40%. Some patients desire more while others, especially patients who have previously undergone back surgery or sought non-relieving care from many other providers, are excited. 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’s not a huge move but is realistic. (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 Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic clinical outcome targets are high and often achieved.
THE CHALLENGE OF CHIROPRACTIC RESEARCH – AND HOW CHIROPRACTIC ANSWERS
Chiropractic, like other complementary and integrative healthcare professions, experiences a little more difficulty in maintaining a flow of research as many programs are not in large university situations 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 looking to the RAND Corporation’s Center for Collaborative CIH Research to assemble research talent and assets to elevate chiropractic’s quality and quantity of research. (3,4) Robust research continues at chiropractic universities to document the benefits of chiropractic for musculoskeletal-related pain like back pain, neck pain, arm pain and leg pain.
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
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 he’s managed.
Make your next Ashburn and Herndon chiropractic appointment soon. Bring your questions about the research supporting our chiropractic care with you! Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn loves to share research!
