August 2004

ACA survey: Back-pain sufferers
prefer drug-free treatment

More than 80 percent of chronic back-pain sufferers surveyed would prefer to avoid the use of medication to treat their ailments, yet ironically, a majority are taking narcotics, muscle relaxants or over-the-counter medications to deal with their pain, according to a study conducted for the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) by a national market research firm.

“More needs to be done to educate patients, physicians and the health community about the benefits of chiropractic care and its ability to manage pain effectively,” said ACA President Donald J. Krippendorf, DC.

More than 64 percent of survey respondents reported that they would consider seeking the professional healthcare services of a doctor of chiropractic. The omnibus survey, conducted in the spring of 2004 for ACA by I/H/R Research Group, a full-service market research firm that includes experienced healthcare managers, interviewed 800 adults nationwide. The survey was conducted to gain insight into the treatment methods used by those with chronic back pain and to better understand the amount of relief experienced from various treatment options.

Survey results did indicate that while millions of Americans trust their healthcare to one of the nation’s 60,000 doctors of chiropractic, only 13.8 percent of respondents were currently seeking healthcare from a DC.

However, when survey participants were asked if they felt their pain was under control as a result of their current treatment, 30 percent indicated their pain was not, and an additional 39.3 percent said their pain was only moderately under control. Furthermore, more than 27 percent of respondents reported that they were taking a form of analgesic or narcotic for their chronic back pain; 25 percent indicated they relied on over-the-counter medications; and 19.6 percent used muscle relaxants.

Other survey highlights include:
• 18 percent of all chronic back pain was reported as the result of an accident or injury ;

• Almost 40 percent reported their pain as very severe or severe at the time of the survey ;

• 71 percent of respondents said they had suffered from chronic back pain for five or more years

Eighty percent of Americans suffer from back pain at some point in their lives, and back pain is the second most common reason for visits to the doctor's office, outnumbered only by upper-respiratory infections.

Recent evidence supporting the efficacy of chiropractic care comes from a study published in the July 15, 2003, edition of the journal Spine, which found that manual manipulation provides better relief of chronic spinal pain than does acupuncture or even a variety of medications.

Source: American Chiropractic Association, www.amerchiro.com

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