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Pain management in osteopathic medicine: The efficacy of flotation REST as an adjunct to spinal manipulation for acute non-specific low back pain. A case report.

Summary


Pain management in osteopathic medicine: The efficacy of flotation REST as an adjunct to spinal manipulation for acute non-specific low back pain. A case report 


Hypothesis: The authors hypothesized that Flotation Restricted Environmental Stimulation Therapy (Flotation REST) combined with spinal manipulation (SM) would be more effective in managing acute non-specific low back pain (LBP) compared to spinal manipulation alone.


Model: The study used a single-case report model to evaluate the combined therapy's effects on a 26-year-old female nurse suffering from acute LBP.


Aim: The aim was to assess the efficacy of using Flotation REST as an adjunct to spinal manipulation in reducing pain and disability in patients with acute non-specific LBP.


Methodology:


  1. Patient Selection: A 26-year-old female nurse with acute non-specific LBP was selected for the study.

  2. Treatment Plan: The patient received spinal manipulation treatments followed by Flotation REST sessions.

  3. Spinal Manipulation (SM): Manual techniques including high velocity low amplitude manipulation and mobilization were applied.

  4. Flotation REST (FR): Involved the patient floating in a soundproof and lightproof tank with a supersaturated Epsom salts solution at skin temperature, inducing deep relaxation.

  5. Duration: The patient received three sessions of SM followed by three sessions of FR, each FR session occurring three days after SM.

  6. Outcome Measures: Pain and disability were measured using the Revised Oswestry Low Back Pain and Disability Questionnaire (ROLBPDQ), Visual Analog Pain Scale (VAPS), and Profile of Mood States (POMS).


Results:

  1. Pain Reduction: The patient reported a decrease in pain intensity, with VAPS scores dropping from 10% pre-treatment to 0% at four weeks.

  2. Disability Improvement: ROLBPDQ scores improved from 30% pre-treatment (moderate disability) to 16% at four weeks (minimum disability).

  3. Mood Stability: The POMS data indicated stable, positive mood states throughout the treatment period, with no significant mood fluctuations.

  4. Sustained Relief: The patient reported being pain-free at the three-month follow-up, suggesting lasting benefits from the combined therapy.


Conclusion: The combination of Flotation REST and spinal manipulation appears effective in managing acute non-specific low back pain, reducing both pain and disability. The results support the potential for larger, controlled studies to further validate these findings.


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