Chest pains? Chiropractic could help
Every year, more than 6 million people are admitted to the emergency room for chest pain. Among patients suspected of having acute coronary syndrome, 20% are told they have undifferentiated chest pain. They often leave the ER without a definitive diagnosis or explanation of their pain. This can be frustrating and anxiety-inducing if their pain persists.
The musculoskeletal system may be a common but overlooked source of undifferentiated chest pain. New research suggests that chiropractic care can reduce chest pain in patients with discomfort related to musculoskeletal conditions.
A recent study included 115 patients with acute chest pain who were originally sent home from the ER without a diagnosis. The patients were randomly assigned to receive chiropractic treatments or to practice self-management of symptoms combined with advice from clinicians. Although both groups improved, a larger portion of chiropractic patients reported substantial improvements. 45% of chiropractic patients said they were much better after treatment compared to 35% of self-management patients. Chiropractic patients also experienced greater reductions in pain intensity and more improvements in overall health.
Researchers suggested that chiropractic care could lead to a faster recovery from chest pain related to musculoskeletal disorders.
References
Hendel R. CT Coronary Angiography Is the mst acurate and efective nninvasive iaging tool for evaluating patients presenting with chest pin to the eergency dpartment: Antagonist Viewpoint . Circulation-ardiovascular Imaging 2009; 2: 264-275.
Stochkendhal M, et al. Chiropractic treatment vs self-management in patients with acute chest pain: a randomized controlled trial of patients without acute coronary syndrome. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2012; 35(1): 7-17.
