Inflammatory response following a short-term course of chiropractic treatment in subjects with and without chronic low back pain

ObjectiveInflammatory markers interleukin-6 (IL-6) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have not been evaluated in response to a short course of lumbar spinal manipulation. The purpose of this study is to observe the responses of inflammatory markers (IL-6 and CRP) after a series of 9 chiropractic spinal manipulations.MethodsTwenty-one participants were assigned to a treatment or a control group. Only the treatment group received 9 chiropractic interventions. Pre- and postintervention measures were recorded for blood samples for detection of proinflammatory cytokines IL-6 and CRP.ResultsMediators of inflammation (IL-6 and high-sensitivity CRP) were modified by the intervention received in the treatment group, and the effect size demonstrated a tendency toward the control group values.ConclusionA total of 9 chiropractic lower back manipulations caused the mediators of inflammation to present a normalization response in individuals suffering from chronic low back pain.