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We' ve been renovating!
Our rehabilitation/DTS room is getting a makeover. We've moved the DTS table into a more secluded room with a nice view. Plus, we are still making additions for our frozen shoulder patients.
Tip of the Month Have a wonderful and spectacular 4th of July!
Comparing Spinal Pain Treatments
Study Compares Medication, Acupuncture, and Spinal Manipulation for Chronic Spinal Pain
Long-Term Follow-Up of a Randomized Clinical Trial Assessing the Efficacy of Medication, Acupuncture, and Spinal Manipulation for Chronic Mechanical Spinal Pain Syndromes
Objective: To assess the long-term benefits of medication, needle acupuncture, and spinal manipulation as exclusive and standardized treatment regimens in patients with chronic (>13 weeks) spinal pain syndromes.
Study Design: Extended follow-up (>1 year) of a randomized clinical trial was conducted at the multidisciplinary spinal pain unit of Townsville's GeneralHospital between February 1999 and October 2001.
Patients and Methods: Of the 115 patients originally randomized, 69 had exclusively been treated with the randomly allocated treatment during the 9-week treatment period (results at 9 weeks were reported earlier). These patients were followed up and assessed again 1 year after inception into the study reapplying the same instruments (ie, Oswestry Back Pain Index, Neck Disability Index, Short-Form-36, and Visual Analogue Scales). Questionnaires were obtained from 62 patients reflecting a retention proportion of 90%. The main analysis was restricted to 40 patients who had received exclusively the randomly allocated treatment for the whole observation period since randomization.
Results: Comparisons of initial and extended follow-up questionnaires to assess absolute efficacy showed that only the application of spinal manipulation revealed broad-based long-term benefit: 5 of the 7 main outcome measures showed significant improvements compared with only 1 item in each of the acupuncture and the medication groups.
Conclusions: In patients with chronic spinal pain syndromes, spinal manipulation, if not contraindicated, may be the only treatment modality of the assessed regimens that provides broad and significant long-term benefit.
Muller R, Giles LGF. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. January 2005; Vol. 28, No. 1
Healthy Tips
Just like brushing your teeth, healthy habits should be cultivated on a daily basis. The following is a guide to daily tasks:
1. Activity should be a daily occurrence. Walk, run or jump for a minimum total of 20 minutes a day.
2. Protect your skin. Sun block should be applied on face, neck, arms and hands even in the dead of winter. It protects against climatic toxins too. Moisturize skin daily.
3. Eat fruits, vegetables, grains, low-fat dairy products and small amounts of protein. Avoid sweets and other processed foods.
4. Meditate or spend a minimum of five minutes daily in quiet time.
5. Find your spiritual self. Discover what inspires you, raises your level of consciousness, motivates you, and satisfies your soul.
6. Exercise your brain. Read, study, solve problems, and learn new skills. As does the body, the brain atrophies with lack of use.
