Research Evidence
Evidence for the use of manual medicine is growing. Recent studies suggest that for the treatment of both acute and chronic low back pain, manual therapies are as effective for short and long term pain relief as prescription nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and physical therapy.
It also appears that spinal manipulation has an effect comparable to commonly used first-line prophylactic prescription medications for tension-type headache and migraine headache. For neck pain, manual medicine was found to improve the ability to perform activities of daily living and pain control in intervention groups compared to sham controls.
References:
Assendelft WJJ, Morton SC, Yu EI, Suttorp MJ, Shekelle PG. Spinal manipulative therapy for low-back pain. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD000447. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD000447.pub2.
Brontfort G, Assendelft WJ, Evans R. Haas M, Bouter L. Efficacy of spinal manipulation for chronic headache: a systematic review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2001 Sep;24(7):457-66.
Gross A, Hoving JL, Haines T, Goldsmith CH, Kay TM, Aker P, Brønfort G, Cervical Overview Group. Manipulation and mobilisation for mechanical neck disorders. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2004, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD004249. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD004249.pub2.