Recently, one of our chiropractic sources printed a very interesting article reviewing a study published in the "Annals of Internal Medicine". Results are summarized below.

All the participants in the study were chronic pain sufferers of either osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, or fibromyalgia conditions. 63% of the individuals in the study sought additional forms of care for their pain, including chiropractic. In fact, chiropractic was the most frequently used of the options studied. According to the response of the study participants, chiropractic was also reported to be one of the most helpful complementary treatments.

When asked why they sought chiropractic or any other treatment in addition to that provided by their rheumatologists, most patients said that they wanted to control the pain they were experiencing. A vast majority responded that they had heard an alternative to main line treatments "would help". Patients also felt these options, which included chiropractic, spiritual healing, herbal therapy; diet, etc. were safe and/ or someone they knew had been helped previously by it. In addition, 46% of those choosing alternatives reported that they did so because the medication they had been prescribed was not working.

The patients in this study came from private rheumatology practices, university settings, a municipal hospital, and a Veterans med center. 31% of the 428 eligible patients in the study sought chiropractic care at least once with many using chiropractic on a regular basis after initiation of chiropractic care. 73% of these patients also determined that chiropractic care was helpful in controlling their chronic pain.

This is wonderful news for the people out there who have been considering chiropractic as a treatment option to help with the pain of arthritis conditions.