Low Back pain is the third leading cause of disease burden in Australia. There is an estimated $3.4 billion spent out of the public purse on the treatment and management of back problems, representing 2.2% of total health system expenditure and 23% of expenditure for all musculoskeletal conditions. To top this off, low back problems contributed to 1,112 deaths or 4.3 deaths per 100,000 population in 2022 (0.6% of all deaths). 15-16% of the Australian population currently lives with low back pain and problems. This leads to a burden on the individual both physically and emotionally; to the workplace with the cost of time off of work, on productivity, and insurers; and upon the nation’s health care costs.
When it comes to managing and treating low back pain, patients are often faced with multiple options. These include chiropractic care, physiotherapy, exercise, and medical interventions such as medication & surgery.
One research paper that stands the test of time, is a government report carried out in 1993 paper which has come to be known as the Manga Report. This was commissioned by the Ontario Ministry of Health in Canada. This report strongly supports chiropractic care as the most effective and cost-efficient solution for managing back pain.
Key Findings from the Manga Report
The Manga Report examined various treatment methods and found that chiropractic care offers numerous advantages over other interventions:
- More Effective for Low Back Pain: The study concluded that spinal adjustments, as performed by chiropractors, is more effective than other treatments for managing low back pain.
- Greater Cost-Effectiveness: Chiropractic care was found to be significantly more cost-effective than medical treatments and surgery, reducing the economic burden on both patients and the healthcare system.
- Reduced Need for Surgery: Patients who seek chiropractic care are less likely to require costly and invasive back surgeries.
- Lower Dependency on Pain Medication: Chiropractic adjustments help manage pain naturally, reducing the need for prescription drugs and their associated side effects.
- Higher Patient Satisfaction: Compared to other healthcare providers, chiropractors received higher ratings for patient satisfaction and overall experience.
Why Chiropractic Care Stands Out
Unlike conventional treatments that primarily focus on symptom management, chiropractic care takes a holistic approach to addressing the root cause. It is simply not a band aid approach to looking after people, masking the problem with numbing medication or adding an electrical current into a muscle. Chiropractic looks to correct adaptational structural problems. After all structure governs function. Chiropractors use gentle, non-invasive spinal adjustments to improve alignment, mobility, and overall nervous system function.
Additionally, chiropractic care emphasises preventive health strategies, helping patients avoid recurrent pain and maintain optimal spinal health.
Chiropractic vs. Other Interventions
What new evidence based interventions for back pain have there been since 1993?
- Physiotherapy = No Evidence
- Massage/ Special Soft Tissue/ Taping = No Evidence
- “Special” Back Exercises = No Evidence
- Muscle Relaxants, NSAIDS and Paracetamol = No Evidence
- Disc Injections = No Evidence
- Vioxx = No Evidence
- Opiods = No Evidence
- Disc Cage/ Bone Paste/ Fusion or Disc Surgery = No Evidence
What has changed in health care since 1993? Has there been huge advances in what medicine, physiotherapy and chiropractic do in the care of their patients since the release of this report? The answer is quite simply NO. This report stands the test of time and is as relevant now as it was in 1993.
The Manga Report provides compelling evidence that chiropractic care should be the first-line treatment for low back pain. With its proven effectiveness, cost-efficiency, and patient satisfaction, chiropractic care offers a safe and natural alternative to traditional medical interventions. If you or someone you know suffers from back pain, visiting a chiropractor could be the best decision for long-term health and wellness.
