Spinal manipulation

Spinal manipulation can be a good choice for treatment of back pain lasting less than a month, provided there is no evidence of spinal nerve root disorders such as a herniated disk or spinal stenosis. If symptoms do not improve after four weeks, however, use of spinal manipulation should be re-evaluated.

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Spinal manipulation, which involves "adjusting" the vertebrae to reduce pain caused by poor alignment, may be provided by a chiropractor, osteopath, physical therapist, or specially trained medical doctor. The healthcare professional must be sure that back pain is not due to bone or joint disorders, since manipulating a spine damaged by osteoporosis, for example, could result in further, more serious injury. X-rays of the area are usually taken before spinal manipulation to rule out vertebral fractures.

In properly screened patients, spinal manipulation by a trained professional appears to be safe.