| Abstract: | Recent studies have shown that a significant proportion of the Australian population attend chiropractors. In so far as some patients believe that chiropractic manipulation is effective, it is important to determine whether this belief is a consequence of a psychosomatic remission in symptoms or whether manipulative therapy, per se, is actually effective. A comparison of two groups of 50 patients, matched for condition and some demographic characteristics, treated (with manipulation) by doctors or chiropractors, indicates equivalent and widespread improvement in the presenting symptoms. The psychosomatic explanation is unlikely to be adequate and it may be that manipulation of the spine is effective therapy for some conditions. |
