Table 3.
Change in NRS Pain Scores by NPT modality, for Patients with 2 or More Pain Scoresa
| NPT Modality | No. (%) decreased | No. (%) no change | No. (%) increased |
|---|---|---|---|
| Any NPT modality (n=2,073) | 639 (30.8) | 913 (44.0) | 521 (25.1) |
| Acupuncture (n=36) | 13 (36.1) | 15 (41.7) | 8 (22.2) |
| Biofeedback (n=1) | 1 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Chiropractic (n=105) | 41 (39.0) | 34 (32.4) | 30 (28.6) |
| Christian Science practitioner (n=0) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Cold laser (n=4) | 0 (0.0) | 4 (100.0) | 0 (0.0) |
| Coordinated care (n=144) | 37 (25.7) | 84 (58.3) | 23 (16.0) |
| Exercise therapy (n=577) | 169 (29.3) | 296 (51.3) | 112 (19.4) |
| Hypnotherapy (n=0) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Lumbar supports (n=45) | 7 (15.6) | 33 (73.3) | 5 (11.1) |
| Massage (n=95) | 39 (41.1) | 29 (30.5) | 27 (28.4) |
| Medical nutrition therapy (n=40) | 13 (32.5) | 20 (50.0) | 7 (17.5) |
| MIRE (n=0) | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Occupational stress education / Stress education (n=341) | 97 (28.4) | 151 (44.3) | 93 (27.3) |
| Other physical therapy (n=333) | 112 (33.6) | 136 (40.8) | 85 (25.5) |
| Recreational therapy (n=4) | 3 (75.0) | 0 (0.0) | 1 (25.0) |
| Self-management (n=664) | 185 (27.9) | 303 (45.6) | 176 (26.5) |
| Spinal manipulation (n=27) | 7 (25.9) | 15 (55.6) | 5 (18.5) |
| Superficial heat (n=123) | 48 (39.0) | 43 (35.0) | 32 (26.0) |
| Traction (n=38) | 13 (34.2) | 17 (44.7) | 8 (21.1) |
| TENS and other electrical modulation (n=86) | 26 (30.2) | 39 (45.3) | 21 (24.4) |
| Ultrasonography (n=40) | 18 (45.0) | 13 (32.5) | 9 (22.5) |
MIRE, monochromatic infrared energy; N/A, not applicable – when no patients had a NRS pain score associated with a particular NPT modality; NPT, non-pharmacologic therapy; NRS, numeric rating scale; TENS, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
a
Change was determined based on the difference between the first and the last pain score.