Effectiveness of alternative therapies for the management of lumbar disc disease: a descriptive research

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Low back pain due to discopathy has become one of the most expensive and highest impact problems of global public health at present. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of alternative therapies (AT) and related factors in lumbar disk disease (LDD). METHODS: Information was collected by using a retrospective descriptive design from medical records of patients treated from January to December 2013 with LDD who were attended in a clinic specialized in AT. Sociodemographic and clinical variables included clinical diagnostic time, Visual Analog Scale at admission (V.A.S.) and post-treatment pain (0-100 points) were identifi ed. General and specifi c infl uence of the AT was measured. RESULTS: 453 medical records were identifi ed, at admission V.A.S. was 8.2 (CI95%, 7,9 to 8,3) and showed pain relief (scale 0-100) of 54,5 points (CI95%, 52.2 to 56.8). In overall, 13 types of ATs were implemented with LDD patients. The median of pain relief (p25-p75) in the general population was 60 (40-70); 8 of 13 interventions provided an estimated median of pain relief lower than the one evidenced in the general population . CONCLUSION: The AT treatment in our study showed a reduction in pain of 50-60 points and an absolute reduction of 35 points after two months of treatment, which remained over 6 or more months of follow-up. Our results suggest that the use of AT has signifi cant effect on chronic pain in patients with LDD with no response to conventional treatment

Keywords

• low back pain
• lumbar spinal discopathy
• alternative therapies