Back pain therapy is ineffective: Study

Sydney, Nov 10 (UNI) A new research puts a question mark on the effectiveness of physiotherapy and going to a chiropractor to treat lower back.

The study by the University of Sydney has shown that treatments, such as spinal manipulation and the use of some non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which are recommended as a second-tier option to recovery, are no more effective than paracetamol.

The research group studied 240 patients, putting them on different combinations of treatment.

It was found that half of those who underwent the active manipulation therapy completely recovered after 15 days and half of those who had placebo manipulation treatment also recovered after 15 days, Chris Maher, a member of the group said.

''The active treatment didn't shorten recovery time. It means that for most people with back pain it is a sensible option to start with advice from your doctor and paracetamol,'' the Sydney Morning Herald quoted Associate Professor Maher, a co-author of the study published in The Lancet, as saying.

He said people tended to take paracetamol incorrectly, discontinuing its use once pain subsides.

''Try to take [paracetamol] in the same way you would take antibiotics - take the whole course until it is finished,'' he said.

UNI