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Chiropractic Manipulation Study
(by Dr. Glenn Foss - April 30, 2010)
An independent non-profit research agency, the RAND ("Research and Development") Corporation conducts research and development for the United States government and the private sector. Its research programs are extensive, and include military defense, applied education, economics, civil justice, sociology and health sciences. Internationally respected, its health sciences department is the largest non-university based research center in the US. For the past 30 years one of its prime functions has been the development of methods to assess the appropriateness of various health care procedures, and to assist health provider groups with research aimed at establishing practice guidelines.
In 1991 The RAND Corporation published a major report titled, "The Appropriateness of Manipulation for Back Pain". Together with other significant reports from the United States, Europe and Canada, the RAND report helped to establish Chiropractic manipulation as a first line approach to management of most back pain.
Then in 1996, a second independent multidisciplinary RAND report titled, "The Appropriateness of Manipulation and Mobilization of the Cervical Spine", concluded Chiropractic cervical manipulation is both effective and safe for many patients. The second RAND report, which comprises 507 literature reviews on effectiveness and safety of cervical manipulation, and ratings on appropriateness for over 1400 specific conditions by a panel of experts from chiropractic, medicine, orthopedics and neurology, established that:
· Chiropractic manipulation is appropriate for many patients with common categories of neck pain and headache. The best designed neck pain trial reviewed by the RAND panel was conducted in the Netherlands, and reported better long term results for patients receiving Chiropractic manipulation than those receiving standard medical care or a placebo. The RAND literature review concluded that Chiropractic cervical manipulation provides pain relief and increased range of motion for most patients with sub-acute or chronic neck pain and relief for patients with various types of headaches.
· Chiropractic cervical manipulation is significantly safer than a number of medical treatments given for the same symptoms. For example, serious complications from manipulation is exceptionally rare, and occurs with a frequency of one per one million treatments, compared to 1000 per million with the use of common anti-inflammatory medication, and nearly 16,000 per one million for cervical spine surgery.
A significant body of research in the form of randomized controlled trials, and literature in the form of case studies, reports both short and long term benefits from Chiropractic cervical manipulation for a variety of other conditions, including referred pain to the shoulder/arm/hand, thoracic outlet syndrome, carpal tunnel syndrome and TMJ disorders.
· Since the 1996 RAND literature review, there have been a number of other scientific trials from various parts of the world showing positive results of Chiropractic cervical manipulation.
This most recent RAND report, supported by new research emerging currently, establishes unequivocally the appropriateness, effectiveness and safety of chiropractic care for many types of neck pain and headache.
Drs. Glenn and Christine Foss are the owners of Advance Sports Medicine and Physical Therapy Center in Riverdale. Both doctors have been practicing chiropractic for over thirteen years and have been amongst the communities leading health care providers. As innovators in health care, they have merged chiropractic and physical therapy services together to enhance the quality of patient care and overall treatment outcome. If you have any questions for either of the doctors or would like to schedule a consultation please call 973-616-4555.
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