Pain and inflammation are known companions. Spinal manipulation has been used to decrease spine pain, back pain, neck pain, arm pain, and leg pain. New studies describe how the effect of spinal manipulation may go beyond the spine to possibly control inflammation and its impact on spine pain. New Hampshire Spine and Sport views improvement in our spine pain patients on several fronts: pain reduction, function improvement, etc. The roles of inflammation in back pain and of spinal manipulation in decreasing that pain is central to the Southern New Hampshire chiropractic treatment plan.
BIOMARKERS
Biomarkers are measurable indicators of body function via tests like blood pressure, urine testing, blood testing, imaging, etc. Biomarkers can signify normal and abnormal processes taking place in the body. In the area of back pain, researchers have been looking to blood testable biomarkers like tumor necrosis factor (TNFα), interleukin-1 β (IL-1β), IL-6, IL-2, interferon (IFN), IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA), TNF soluble receptor type 2 (sTNFR2) and IL-10 to tell the story. A recent biomarker test is brain imaging. What makes brain imaging interesting? Researchers recognize that chronic back pain surely changes the spine and believe that it alters the brain structure. Brain imaging is a non-invasive biomarker capable of producing brain resting-state functional connectivity to analyze such alterations. (1) Researchers keep coming up with new tests! New Hampshire Spine and Sport is following these biomarker findings watchfully.
BIOMARKER TESTING FOR BACK PAIN
As low back pain continues to dominate healthcare as one of the most significant contributors to disability globally, researchers are studying biomarkers and their role in low back pain. Researchers wondered if there was a contrast in the inflammatory profiles of nonspecific acute and chronic low back pain sufferers. They discovered a distinct difference in that there was an imbalance between pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediator levels leaning toward an overproduction of proinflammatory components in both types of patients. (2) Another study revealed that C-reactive protein in patients with acute non-specific low back pain and TNF-α in chronic non-specific low back pain patients were elevated. (3) These kinds of tests may help your Southern New Hampshire chiropractor observe your back pain in a new way.
BIOMARKER TESTING OF BACK PAIN RESPONSE TO SPINAL MANIPULATION
The chiropractic treatment plan at New Hampshire Spine and Sport now is based on gentle spinal manipulation to reduce pain. A blood test study for biomarkers taken at the start of and 2 weeks after such spinal manipulative treatment found significant (though limited and diverse) alterations in the production of several biomarkers in acute and chronic back pain patients. Pain and disability scores fell too. (4) These are encouraging findings for the implementation of spinal manipulation for back pain. New Hampshire Spine and Sport is excited to see more information about biomarker-level changes with Southern New Hampshire spinal manipulation!
CONTACT New Hampshire Spine and Sport
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. James Cox on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he discusses how use of chiropractic spinal manipulation and Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction may well surpass pain relief.
Set up your Southern New Hampshire chiropractic appointment today. Daily, pain and inflammation come through our door together. Our treatment helps reduce their impact on the lives of our Southern New Hampshire chiropractic patients.