Patients with acute and chronic non-specific low back pain have distinct inflammatory profiles. It’s been proposed that SMT (spinal manipulative therapy) may influence or modulate the production of inflammatory mediators and provide an analgesic effect.
IL- is a pleiotropic cytokine recognized as a strong mediator of chronic inflammation. Reducing IL-6 production can reduce its nociceptive action and potentially mitigate pain.
In this study, patients with non-specific low back pain who received SMT experienced a significant reduction in the production of inflammatory mediators, reductions in pain, and improved functional outcomes. The ability to impact and influence the inflammatory process without pharmaceuticals is an important finding and further expands our knowledge of how SMT can help people recover from musculoskeletal injuries.
“The use of spinal manipulative therapy (SMT) has been recognized as an effective form of nonpharmacological treatment of non-specific low back pain.”
“Thus, it could be hypothesized, that SMT may provide sufficient afferent stimulus to autonomic nervous system and provoke an anti-inflammatory reflex modulating the response of inflammatory cells.”
“…a significant reduction in the production of IL-6 in chronic patients, and an enhanced IL-2 production in acute patients were observed along with reduction in pain and self-reported functional outcomes.”
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