Chiropractic Manipulation Best Option For Low Back Pain, According to Patient Survey

(Arlington, Va.) -- In light of a new survey showing that chiropractic spinal manipulation is the top-rated treatment for people suffering with back pain, patients should consider a consultation with a doctor of chiropractic, says the American Chiropractic Association.

The Consumer Reports Health Rating Center released the survey results of more than 14,000 Americans on April 6.

The survey rated doctors of chiropractic as the top practitioner, with survey respondents noting that they were more likely to be “highly satisfied” with the care received from their doctor of chiropractic (59 percent) than their primary care physician (34 percent).

“For the treatment of back pain, few options are better than chiropractic,” says ACA President Glenn Manceaux, DC. “As shown in this latest survey, chiropractic spinal manipulation is an evidence-based and effective treatment for low-back pain and other musculoskeletal injuries. Coupled with the high-levels of patient satisfaction, patients should turn to chiropractic as their first choice.”

To compare which treatments helped most, Consumer Reports asked its subscribers to rate a comprehensive list of potential remedies along with their satisfaction with the health care professionals they visited. Most survey respondents had tried five or six different treatments on average, and many found that their back pain interfered with their daily activities, including sleep and their sex life.

Doctors of chiropractic provide drug-free, non-invasive treatment options for many types of pain and inflammation. For example, chronic back pain, neck pain, joint pain and headaches can often be reduced with the appropriate combination of chiropractic manipulation, rehabilitative exercises and lifestyle counseling – all of which are offered by doctors of chiropractic in a patient’s personalized treatment plan.

A significant amount of evidence has shown that the use of chiropractic care for certain conditions can be more effective than traditional medical care, with many patients feeling improvement shortly after their first chiropractic visit.

To read the article as it appears on the Consumer Reports Web site, click here.

For more information about chiropractic care, or to find a doctor of chiropractic near you, visit the Web site of the American Chiropractic Association, www.acatoday.org.

The American Chiropractic Association, based in Arlington, Va., is the largest professional association in the world representing doctors of chiropractic. The ACA provides lobbying, public relations, professional and educational opportunities for doctors of chiropractic, and offers leadership for the advancement of the profession.