Effect of alternative therapies compared with drug therapy for patients with low back pain on their functional health status

ABSTRACT

Despite the increased use and acceptance of alternative therapy practices by patients and health care providers, there is relatively little information available concerning the reasons for use or its effect on patient functional health status and well-being. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of alternative therapies compared with drug therapy for patients with low back pain on their functional health status. A consecutive sample of 115 subacute low back pain recruited from neurology outpatient clinic, pain management clinic and physiotherapy departments the Ain Shams University Hospital, and Ain Shams Specialized Hospital, they were divided into 3 equal groups group I patients under exercise therapy, group II patients under transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation [TENS] therapy, and group III patients under drug therapy. Data were collected through Functional Health Status Questionnaire, Visual Analogue Scale, Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire, and Low Back Pain Outcome Scale. All groups were evaluated for before and after each treatment, then 6 months later. Results of this study revealed highly statistically significant differences between the three group therapies in relation to effectiveness on decreasing pain intensity and level of disability [X[2]57.306, p=0.000 and X[2]= 71.934, p=0.000 respectively] with higher tendency of exercise therapy followed by TENS therapy, while drug therapy was the least after 6 months. Meanwhile, there was highly statistically significantly difference low back pain outcome scores in the exercise therapy group at follow-up. In addition, highly statistically significantly negative correlations were detected between functional health status scores and disability levels in all study group. In conclusion the results of this study revealed that exercise therapy alongside with patient's guidelines have highly positively significant effect in improving patients' with low back pain regarding to functional health status, level of disability and reducing pain intensity throughout follow up phases rather than TENS therapy or drug therapy