Another controversial treatment has also been shown to offer benefit. Osteopathic manipulation is considered a complementary approach to lower back pain. A study of more than 400 people with chronic low back pain randomly assigned them ultrasound therapy, osteopathic manipulation or sham simulations of each of these modalities. The treatments lasted for eight weeks.
Those getting the true osteopathic back manipulation got the best results. Two thirds had moderate improvement in pain and half had substantial relief. Sham osteopathic treatment offered improvement for fewer than half of the volunteers. Ultrasound treatments resulted in no long-term pain relief.
[Annals of Family Medicine, March/April 2013]
One advantage of the osteopathic manipulation is that the volunteers did not experience the side effects that often accompany the most common treatment for back or joint pain, a prescription or OTC NSAID. For many other remedies to ease sore joints or backs, take a look at our Guide to Alternatives for Arthritis.
The People's Perspective on Medicine