Each month I read The BackLetter, a medical journal which reviews the latest studies in spine care. Over the years I have read this, I have seen many high-tech treatments raved about with great hope and excitement.
From surgical techniques, to spinal or joint injections, to genetically produced bone-fusion materials, there has been a steady stream of new approaches hoping to solve the old problem of spine pain.
Soon, the real data comes out, and we find little evidence of benefit for the very treatments that were just recently promoted and widely utilized. And too often, these treatment don’t only fail to help, they actually harm the patient.
In 2001, J.W. Scott, MD, wrote a short paper titled “Scott’s Parabola: The Rise and Fall of a Surgical Technique”. (The term “Parabola” is a reference to a “bell-shaped” curve which gradually, then steeply climbs, only to peak then sharply fall.) This can apply to all new therapies, including pharmaceuticals.
He pointed out how many new surgical techniques hold great promise initially, gain widespread acceptance only to fall into disuse after reports of negative outcomes. His paper comically described this popularity roller-coaster with terms like: “encouraging reports”, “strong media pressure for universal acceptance”, till it becomes “standard treatment.”
As the downward fall happens, he continues with: “damaging survey reported”, “condemned by several authorities”, “widely publicized medico-legal case” to “falls into disuse.” He ends with “very old surgeons amaze their juniors with rollicking stories of the old days.”
In the last few years, researchers have encouraged various medical specialties to find five treatments to eliminate from their practices that show little benefit and/or are clearly dangerous. Not surprisingly, most specialties feel it is the other guys that need to clean up their act!
Until they do, let “Buyer Beware” be your guiding principle.
Dr. Huntington practices Chiropractic, Biomedical Acupuncture and Physiotherapy in Oracle, Az. 520-896-9844 huntingtonchiro@hotmail.com.