Chronic Lower Back and Neck Pain Helped by Chiropractic, A Case StudyThe MDPI journal "Healthcare" published the results of a case study on April 3, 2025, documenting the long-term improvement of chronic lower back pain and chronic intermittent neck pain of a patient under specific forms of chiropractic care. MDPI is a non-profit organization in Basel, Switzerland, that publishes a number of open-source scientific journals.
This study begins by describing the impact that chronic lower back pain has on society. "CLBP has been the leading cause of disability globally for the past few decades, resulting in decreased quality of life physically and emotionally." CLBP is first on the list of health conditions that cause disability worldwide. Chronic neck pain is fourth on that list. The study also reports that lower back pain expenses exceed 40 billion dollars each year in the U.S. alone.
In this case, a 38-year-old man presented himself for chiropractic care because he had been suffering for the past five years with severe lower back pain. On a scale of 0 to 10, with 10 being the worst, the man rated his pain as a 7. His pain was interfering with his daily activities and his work and was made worse by long days at work and with prolonged periods of driving. Over the prior five years, the man had sporadically received some chiropractic care but not specific forms of care on a regular basis.
A detailed history and assessment of his condition showed that the man was significantly disabled from his back pain with a disability score of 54%. Standardized survey forms also showed that his pain was causing a significant decrease in his overall quality of life.
A chiropractic examination and spinal x-rays showed significant overall postural deviations as well as specific spinal segment misalignments commonly known as subluxations. With the findings of the examination and x-rays, a regular regimen of specific chiropractic care along with specific spinal exercises was started.
After 36 chiropractic visits over a three-month period, a reassessment was done, and new x-rays were taken. The results showed a significant improvement in his posture and spinal positioning. Testing also showed a drastic reduction in his symptoms and the disability related to those issues. The improvements produced a significant improvement in the man’s quality of life.
One year after the beginning of the man’s regular chiropractic care, a follow-up examination showed that his improvements were maintained, and he was still enjoying a higher quality of life. The authors commented, "This case documents the successful treatment of a male who suffered from chronic spine pain and significant disability." The authors went on to explain, "…all the postural improvements corresponded with improvements in pain, disability, and function after only 3 months. The improved posture and symptom reductions were maintained at a long-term follow-up."
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