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Chiropractic treatment on the NHS - it may be sooner than you think!

The long awaited report on how low back pain should best be managed was published recently by NICE. NICE for those who do not know is an independent group set up by the government to evaluate the available research on a particular condition and then publish clear guidelines for the best way to treat the condition in the NHS or at Primary Care Trust ( PCT) level (i.e. via your GP).

What is non specfic back pain?

 

This guide covers non specific back pain. This represents all the mechanical causes of low back pain a chiropractor typically sees in every day practice.

 

What is Specific back pain?

 

Specific back pain is where there is a non mechanical cause for your back pain such as cancer, infection, fractures. Your chiropractor has under gone extensive medical training to able to distinguish between the two causes of back pain so can decide which patients are suitable for chiropractic treatment and those that are not. In a typical chiropractic practice Specific back pain forms less than 1% of all people who present with low back pain.

NICE recommendations are:- 
 
Any persistent or recurrent back pain back pain lasting more than 6 weeks and less than 12 months one of following three options should be offered taking in to account the patient's preference.
 

1. A course of manual therapy- up to 9 sessions over 12 weeks (manual therapy encompasses manipulation, mobilisation and massage.
2. Acupuncture - up to 10 sessions over 12 weeks.
3. Group physical exercise programme 8 sessions over 12 weeks.
    

NICE stated that manipulation can be performed by Chiropractors or Osteopaths. Chiropractors and Osteopaths are experts in manipulative techniques and along with mobilisation and massage they have been the core treatment methods of the two professions for over 100 years. It's ironic now that research now 'proves' that the hands on approach to back pain that the professions have been advocating for many years really does 'work'. So NICE makes it clear that chiropractors should be used for the provision of low back pain care in the general population under the NHS
 
Doctors and Physiotherapists who have undergone specialist post graduate training in manipulation are also included as suitable providers of manipulation treatment.  However, manipulation is not taught to Doctors or Physiotherapists as part of their standard training and so the majority of Doctors and Physiotherapists do not perform it.

 

NICE further recommends that if one chosen treatment does not result in satisfactory improvement another one of the 3 options should be offered to you.

What can you do? Next time you visit your GP ask:-

As per NICE guidelines for low back pain will they refer you to see your chiropractor for your low back pain. If not, ask them why not? As this is what the NICE guidelines recommend for low back pain.

 

Comment

 

Rome wasn't built in a day! Don't expect to be referred straight away. The more of you who ask and the more often you ask the sooner Chiropractic will be available to you and others on the NHS.