Objective: To collect preliminary information on the effects of a mindfulness based stress relieving technique called Neuro Emotional Technique (NET) on pain and disability in chronic low back sufferers.
Methods: 17 participants who had chronic low back pain entered the trial were randomized to 1 of 2 groups. Participants in the intervention group received a 1-month course of Neuro Emotional technique (NET), whilst the control group underwent a sham protocol of NET. Both groups were received the intervention at a frequency of 2 sessions per week for 1 month. Subjective outcome measures were obtained at baseline and at 1 month (after 8 treatments) and again at 3 months. Outcomes included the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) for disability level.
Results: 9 participants were enrolled in the treatment group and 8 into the control. Each of the 2 groups experienced a loss of 2 participants between month 1 and month 3. Accordingly, all remaining participants, provided data for the month 3 data collection.
Significant differences were detected between the baseline and 1-month time points for the ODI scores (P<0.001) and the "amount of pain you have right now" rated by VAS (P<0.001). However, all outcomes returned to near baseline levels after 2 months without treatment.
Conclusion: Changes in VAS and ODI scores provide preliminary evidence for changes in pain, and activities of daily living after sufferers of chronic low back pain (CLBP) received a short course of Neuro Emotional Technique. Progress to a full trial on the possible role of NET in reducing pain and disability in a low-back population is feasible.
Trial registration - Australian and New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry: ACTRN12608000002381.
Author keywords: Chiropractic; Low Back Pain; Disability
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