🩺 How Chiropractic Care Can Help Manage Back Pain
- Dr Ron Van As
- Jun 8
- 2 min read
Updated: Jun 9
Back pain affects roughly 70–80% of people worldwide, and Lusaka is no exception. Chiropractic care provides a non-surgical, drug-free, and cost-effective alternative to help relieve pain, restore function, and improve quality of life.
Key Benefits
Effective Pain Relief & Improved Mobility-Spinal manipulation (also known as spinal adjustment) has been shown to significantly reduce acute and chronic low back pain. A 2010 JAMA review found modest improvements in pain and function at 6 weeks, with only minor short-lived musculoskeletal side effects.
Cost‑Effectiveness - The Manga Report—a detailed analysis from Ontario—concluded that chiropractic management of low‑back pain is more clinically effective, safer, and more cost‑efficient than conventional medical management chiro.org.
Integrated Multimodal Approach - Combining spinal manipulation with exercise, lifestyle advice, and education yields greater pain relief and improved function for acute and subacute low‑back pain compared to single‑modality treatment. Zambian Chiropractic offers a multi-diciplinary approach to holistic healthcare in Lusaka
High Patient Satisfaction & Safety - Patients report satisfaction rates between 89–97%, and most experience only mild, short-term soreness, with serious complications being extremely rare under trained practitioners eihmd.com+11chiro.org+11time.com+11.
Broad Endorsements in Clinical Guidelines - Clinical practice guidelines recommend spinal manipulation for low back pain in 90% of statements, neck pain in 100%, and for certain headaches and radiculopathy
Chiropractic Care can Help Manage Back Pain
Accessible and Affordable - Chiropractic care is generally cheaper than surgery or long-term medication. In Zambia, local clinics offering manipulation and physiotherapy could drastically reduce medical expenses and time off work.
Non-Pharmaceutical Solution - With fewer medications, patients avoid risks like stomach issues or opioid dependency.
Holistic Wellness Approach - Chiropractors emphasize posture, exercise, nutrition, and ergonomics—helping Zambians with daily back pain triggers such as heavy loads or long commutes.
Accelerated Return to Work - Studies show that chiropractic patients return to work faster than those under conventional medical care—critical in our economically-driven context.
Research Insights
Study / Report | Highlights |
Manga Report | Spinal manipulation is more effective, safer, and more cost-effective than medical care for low back pain chiro.org. |
Cochrane Review (Walker et al.) | Combined chiropractic care gave modest short-term pain & disability improvements compared to other treatments . |
Pain Medicine (JAMA) | SMT offered modest benefits and was deemed safe for acute low back pain . |
Verywell Health / Gallup data | 95% found chiropractic effective; 89% would recommend it . |
✅ Conclusion
Chiropractic care can help Zambians in Lusaka manage back pain and presents a compelling option for those suffering from back pain: it is clinically effective, cost-saving, emphasises holistic wellbeing, and is patient-approved.
Consider chiropractic as a valuable pathway to a healthy, pain-free life.
Dr Ron Van As - Zambian Chiropractic
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