Naturopathic Care for Chronic Low Back Pain: A Randomized Trial
Author Information
Author(s): Szczurko Orest, Cooley Kieran, Busse Jason W., Seely Dugald, Bernhardt Bob, Guyatt Gordon H., Zhou Qi, Mills Edward J.
Primary Institution: Canadian College of Naturopathic Medicine
Hypothesis
Is naturopathic care more effective than standardized physiotherapy for chronic low back pain?
Conclusion
Naturopathic care provided significantly greater improvement than physiotherapy advice for patients with chronic low back pain.
Supporting Evidence
- Participants in the Naturopathic care group reported significantly lower back pain.
- Quality of life was significantly improved in the Naturopathic care group in all domains except for vitality.
- Secondary outcomes like spinal flexion and weight loss were also significantly improved in the Naturopathic care group.
Takeaway
This study found that naturopathic care helps people with chronic back pain feel better than just doing physiotherapy exercises.
Methodology
A randomized clinical trial comparing naturopathic care to standardized physiotherapy over 12 weeks.
Potential Biases
Participants in the control group may have perceived their treatment as less desirable, leading to higher dropout rates.
Limitations
The control group received a less active intervention, and there was no blinding of participants or clinicians.
Participant Demographics
Participants were primarily postal employees with a mix of ethnicities, average age around 46 years, and included 56% women.
Statistical Information
P-Value
<0.0001
Confidence Interval
95% CI: −9.23 to −3.54
Statistical Significance
p<0.0001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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