Articles: low-back-pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Loving-kindness meditation for chronic low back pain: results from a pilot trial.
Loving-kindness meditation has been used for centuries in the Buddhist tradition to develop love and transform anger into compassion. This pilot study tested an 8-week loving-kindness program for chronic low back pain patients. ⋯ Clinicians may find loving-kindness meditation helpful in the treatment of patients with persistent pain.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
A randomized trial comparing a group exercise programme for back pain patients with individual physiotherapy in a severely deprived area.
To compare a group exercise programme known as the Back to Fitness programme with individual physiotherapy for patients with non-specific low back pain from a materially deprived area. ⋯ There were no statistically significant differences in change scores between groups on the primary outcome measure at three months (CI - 2.24 to 0.49) and at 12 months (CI - 1.68 to 1.39). Only minor improvements in disability scores were observed in the Back to Fitness group at three months and 12 months respectively (mean change scores; - 0.89, - 0.77) and in the individual physiotherapy arm (mean change scores; - 0.02, - 0.63). Further analysis showed that patients from the most severely deprived areas were marginally worse at three month follow-up whereas those from more affluent areas tended to improve (CI 0.43 to 3.15).
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Forsch Komplementarmed Klass Naturheilkd · Aug 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialEffectiveness of balneotherapy in chronic low back pain -- a randomized single-blind controlled follow-up study.
Balneotherapy, a domain of medical science, focuses on utilizing the beneficial effects of medicinal waters. Low back pain is among the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders affecting a large proportion of the population during their lifetime. Although small in number, all controlled studies published on this subject have demonstrated the benefits of balneotherapy. This present study was undertaken to compare the effects of hydrotherapy with mineral water vs. tap water on low back pain. ⋯ Balneotherapy in itself can alleviate low back pain. As demonstrated by this study, the analgesic efficacy and improvement of mobility accomplished by the use of mineral water is significantly superior to that afforded by hydrotherapy with tap water. Our results clearly establish the beneficial effects of mineral water. Moreover, it is a valuable adjunct to other forms of physical treatment as well as to pharmacotherapy.
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Health Technol Assess · Aug 2005
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyLonger term clinical and economic benefits of offering acupuncture care to patients with chronic low back pain.
To test whether patients with persistent non-specific low back pain, when offered access to traditional acupuncture care alongside conventional primary care, gained more long-term relief from pain than those offered conventional care only, for equal or less cost. Safety and acceptability of acupuncture care to patients, and the heterogeneity of outcomes were also tested. ⋯ Traditional acupuncture care delivered in a primary care setting was safe and acceptable to patients with non-specific low back pain. Acupuncture care and usual care were both associated with clinically significant improvement at 12- and 24-month follow-up. Acupuncture care was significantly more effective in reducing bodily pain than usual care at 24-month follow-up. No benefits relating to function or disability were identified. GP referral to a service providing traditional acupuncture care offers a cost-effective intervention for reducing low back pain over a 2-year period. Further research is needed to examine many aspects of this treatment including its impact compared with other possible short-term packages of care (such as massage, chiropractic or physiotherapy), various aspects of cost-effectiveness, value to patients and implementation protocols.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Should treatment of (sub)acute low back pain be aimed at psychosocial prognostic factors? Cluster randomised clinical trial in general practice.
To compare the effects of a minimal intervention strategy aimed at assessment and modification of psychosocial prognostic factors and usual care for treatment of (sub)acute low back pain in general practice. ⋯ This study provides no evidence that (Dutch) general practitioners should adopt our new treatment strategy aimed at psychosocial prognostic factors in patients with (sub)acute low back pain. Further research should examine why our new strategy was not more effective than usual care.