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May 13, 2013 — Groundbreaking new research has shown that up to 40 percent of people suffering from chronic lower-back pain could now be cured from a simple and inexpensive course of antibiotics.
The study by Hanne Albert, PhD, shows that hundreds of thousands of back complaints could actually be caused by a previously unknown bacterial infection, a finding that experts are calling one of the greatest advancements in our understanding of lower-back pain in more than 50 years.
Bournemouth’s Anglo-European College of Chiropractic (AECC) treat thousands of patients suffering from lower-back pain and applaud the new research, which shows that a specific examination protocol and MRI scan together can help identify the problem. Neil Osborne, director of clinic at the college is one of the first practitioners in the UK to undergo a modic antibiotic spine therapy (MAST) course which puts him at the forefront of this new procedure.
The AECC’s association with the breakthrough reinforces their place at the cutting edge of musculoskeletal research. Osborne comments: “To find that a low grade infection is responsible for what has previously been a type of un-diagnosable back pain is simply a major breakthrough, and the culmination of a very long and difficult research pathway by these Danish scientists. It has been a privilege to be amongst the first practitioners invited to be trained.
“We do however need to be very careful about who gets a prescription of antibiotics. It is a radical departure from ‘usual’ treatment, and comes at a time when over-prescription of antibiotics is a real problem in society, due to the development of long term resistance of the bacteria, which drastically reduces their effectiveness. For MAST treatment to become acceptable, we need a review by an appropriately qualified practitioner and a diligent prescription of antibiotics.”
It is estimated that four out of five adults will experience low back pain at some point in their lifetime and that it is second only to the common cold when it comes to patients seeking medical advice. Back pain is responsible for more than five million days of absence from work every year. The new treatment could save the UK economy billions of pounds.
Source: Anglo-European College of Chiropractic, aecc.ac.uk
