WebMD Health News Hands-On Relief From Back Pain From Massage to Acupuncture, People Favor Hands-on Therapies to Treat Back Pain By Bill Hendrick WebMD Health News Reviewed by Louise Chang, MD   April 6, 2009 -- Back pain can be a big pain in the neck. To deal with it, many U.S. adults favor hands-on therapies such as chiropractic manipulation, massage, and physical therapy, a new survey says. Consumer Reports says in its May issue that 80% of adults in the U.S. report having been bothered by back pain at some point in their lives. The Consumer Reports Health Ratings Center surveyed 14,000 subscribers who reported experiencing back pain in the past year but who had never undergone back surgery. More than half said the pain severely limited their daily routines for at least a week, and many said it interfered with sex, sleep, and weight control. It found that: 88% of respondents said back pain recurred through the year. 35% said they’d never consulted a professional to help with lower back pain. Of those who’d sought help: 58% said chiropractic manipulation had helped a lot. 48% said massage had eased their pain. 46% said physical therapy had benefited them. The respondents were also asked about their satisfaction with various treatments. Of those reporting they were highly satisfied: 59% had seen chiropractors 55% had seen physical therapists 53% had seen acupuncturists 44% had seen physician specialists 34% had seen primary care doctors Consumer Reports says most respondents had tried five or six different treatments and that many with prolonged pain said they hadn’t seen a health professional because they didn't believe anything could help. The survey also found that: 45% of people who took prescription drugs said they helped a lot. 55% of people given a prescription drug received an opioid pain reliever, even though the publication says there’s little research to support the use of such medications for acute low-back pain. “There are almost always better solutions than opioids for low-back pain,” says Orly Avitzur, MD, a neurologist and medical advisor to Consumers Union. “They have numerous adverse effects, such as drowsiness, respiratory depression, constipation, and nausea.” Also, she says, overdose is a major concern. Consumer Reports advises people with low back pain to: Discuss the problem with a primary care doctor. Consider seeing a chiropractor or physical therapist. Use caution when considering surgery. Get a second opinion before deciding on surgery. It conducted a separate survey of about 1,000 people who’d had back surgery in the past five years and found that only 60% were completely or very satisfied with the results.  And more than 50% reported at least one problem with recovery. “Patients should be aware that significant problems during recovery may be underestimated,” Consumer Reports says in a news release. Consumer Reports Ranks Chiropractic # 1 for Low Back Pain   HEALTH AWARENESS Football Legend Tackles Chiropractic Care (NAPSI)-One of the greatest wide receivers in National Football League history is now telling how he managed to withstand all those truly "vicious" hits he took. "Chiropractic care was key to keeping me in the game," says Jerry Rice, who helped the San Francisco 49ers win three Super Bowl Championships between 1985 and 2000. Noting for anyone who hadn't already guessed that football is a very rough and vigorous sport, Rice explains that many of the pass patterns in a game-either long or short-required a maximum effort. "I took vicious hits from players nearly twice my size," he recalls. "Thankfully, I had the durability to withstand those tackles, or I would never have succeeded or lasted as long as I did." Rice first became a believer in chiropractic care right before the 49ers were to play the Bengals in Super Bowl XXIII. A couple of key players were injured, and he credits a chiropractor for turning things around. "Ever since then, I've had the benefit of chiropractic care," says Rice, a 13-time Pro Bowl football player, with 38 career records, who retired from the NFL in 2005 after one brief season with the Seattle Seahawks. Which leads us to his second career. That's right, we're talking "Dancing with the Stars." As spokesman for the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, a nonprofit organization dedicated to increasing public awareness of chiropractic, Rice will be discussing how the treatment helped him get through his physically demanding stint in the popular television show "Dancing with the Stars." "'Dancing with the Stars' was every bit as exhausting and challenging-though not nearly as brutal-as football," he says. "It required many hours of practice. I had aches and pains that I never had before. Again, chiropractic care made the difference-and kept me dancing and in the competition." Rice says most people aren't aware of the benefits of chiropractic care-which he hopes to change. "The game of life requires the edge that chiropractic care provides," says Rice. For more information, you can visit the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress at www.yes2chiropractic.org. A veteran of the football field and the dance floor, Jerry Rice knows firsthand about the benefits of chiropractic care.