Pain in the back or the neck is extremely common and accounts for more healthcare spending than any other health condition. A study compared two non-invasive interventions for treating spine pain, assessing both how well these methods worked at reducing pain and whether either method reduced spine-related healthcare spending.

In a clinical trial of 2,971 participants, patients with spine pain were randomized to receive usual care or one of two interventions. The first intervention used the identify, coordinate and enhance (ICE) model, in which patients receive specialized counseling and physical therapy and a specialist in pain medicine or psychiatry consults with their primary care physician.

The second intervention was individualized postural therapy (IPT), a technique that attempts to realign and rebalance spinal muscles to relieve pain. Compared to usual care, both interventions provided a small but significant improvement in pain-related disability after three months. These changes were sustained and clinically meaningful at 12 months, long after the interventions were over.

Chiropractic care represents the best of both techniques, without requiring a specialist in pain medicine or psychiatry. A doctor of Chiropractic offers counseling and hands-on-care to realign and balance the spine and relieve pain.

Presented as a service to the community by: Union County Chiropractic Clinic, 110 Skyline Drive, Maynardville, TN (865) 992-7000 www.unioncountychiropractic.com