Thesis (M.A.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2003. / Includes bibliographical references.

Dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban Institute of technology, 2002. / Background: Low back pain is a common problem for which many conservative treatments are available. Spinal manipulation is considered one of the most effective of these treatments. Interferential therapy is widely used especially for pain control and often forms part of a treatment protocol. However, there is little clinical evidence to support this usage. Objective: The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate the effectiveness of interferential current therapy as an adjunct to manipulation in the treatment of acute mechanical low back pain in terms of subjective and objective measures. Methods: Sixty subjects suffering from acute mechanical low back pain were recruited through advertising and randomly divided into two groups with thirty patients each. Group A received manipulation and interferential therapy and group B received manipulation only. Both groups received 4 treatments and a follow-up consultation over a 2 week period. Subjective measurements were taken using the Numerical Rating Scale - 101and revised Oswestry low back pain questionnaire. Objective measurements were taken using an algometer and an orthopaedic rating scale. All measurements were taken before treatment on the first, third and fifth consultations. Statistical inter-group analysis was completed using the two sample unpaired t-test and the Mann-Whitney U-test. Friedman's T test was used to evaluate the intra-group information. The null hypothesis was rejected at a = 0.05 level of significance. Results: Both treatment groups A and B achieved a significant improvement in pain and disability over the treatment period. However, no significant differences in terms of pain and disability could be found between the two groups at any stage during, or at the end of the treatment period. / M

Submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master’s Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / Background to the study: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a common musculoskeletal complaint, which results in increased absenteeism from work and other disabilities. Interferential current (IFC) is one of the treatment modalities used by manual and physical therapists to alleviate CLBP. Interferential current involves electrical stimulation of medium frequency using two currents that cross over each other. There have been numerous mechanisms proposed on how IFC works with regard to pain inhibition; however, these remain unconfirmed. Common theories include those based on the gate control theory of pain and integrated pain theories. Although the placement of the electrodes used in the IFC application has been well defined, the optimum treatment time for CLBP has not been well researched. Therefore, this study aimed to determine what protocol regarding the duration of IFC is most appropriate in the treatment of CLBP. Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of interferential current in the treatment of chronic low back pain using variable time intervals Methodology: This study was a randomised single-blinded clinical trial which consisted of 45 participants residing in the eThekwini municipality, divided into three groups of 15 each. The participants were randomly assigned using concealed allocation to one of three treatment groups of 15 each viz. 15, 20 or 30 minutes of interferential current (IFC). Low back pain level was determined using a numerical pain rating scale (NRS-101). Pain pressure thresholds (PPT) were measured with a pain pressure algometer. The effect of low back pain on participants’ activities of daily living was assessed using the Oswestry low back questionnaire (OLBQ).The participants received three treatments over a two week period with the fourth consultation being used for the final subjective and objective measurements a week later. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA testing was used to examine the intra-group effect of time and the inter-group effect of treatment on the outcomes of NRS-101 and algometer readings. Profile plots were used to assess the direction and trends of the effects. An intra-group analysis revealed that, objectively and subjectively, all groups responded positively to treatment over time, with no significant time-group interaction. Conclusion: This study concluded that neither group is more effective than the other with respect to participants’ pain perception and the OLBQ. However, groups one and three showed the largest individual improvement between consultation one and three, compared to group two which showed consistent improvement throughout for the NRS-101 readings. Based on the results collected from this study, the shortest time frame of 15 minutes of IFC application can be used in the treatment of CLBP. / M

The field of energetic medicine began generations ago when medical doctors and scientists found an electrical correlate for what Rheinold Voll described, in the Nineteen Fifties, as medication testing on meridian points. These points showed electrical variability through resistance when a patient was exposed to various homoeopathically prepared substances. William Nelson, the developer of the Quantum Xrroid Consciousness Interface (QXCI) Device, calls this phenomenon electrophysiological reactivity. The developers of the QXCI device claim that the QXCI is able to connect deeply with the energies and tissues of the patient’s body, mind and spirit and test his or her reactions or “reactivity” to over eight thousand items. The QXCI then offers a wealth of software programs that make suggestions from many different modalities on balancing and reintegrating the body, mind and spirit of the patient. The QXCI device and software claims to analyse and balance stresses of many types including: toxicity, trauma, deficiency, perverse energy, pathogens, allergy, heredity and mental factors (Nelson, 2003). The results of research published by Nelson (1994b) and Nagy (1994b) showed that there was a correlation of over eighty percent between QXCI reactivity readings and conventional diagnostic tests and analysis for various infections and blood chemicals. As a result of this research the QXCI is recommended by the developers as a useful pre-diagnostic screen. The study aimed to determine whether there was any correlation between prediagnosed malaria, tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus subjects and QXCI reactivity readings. Reactivity readings were taken of twenty healthy individuals and twenty prediagnosed malaria, tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus subjects. Reactivity readings were analysed for increased reactivity to Plasmodium, Mycobacterium and glucose. Results showed no significant statistical relationship between the conventional diagnostic tests for malaria, tuberculosis and diabetes mellitus and the QXCI vi reactivity readings. The Predictive Value Theory tests of Sensitivity, Specificity and Efficiency as well as the Chi-Square Test were used to obtain statistical results. The results are not conclusive and further investigation into the use of the QXCI as a pre-diagnostic tool is required. / Dr. M.R.A. Moiloa Dr. J.L. Du Plessis

Mini-dissertation in partial compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, in the Department of Chiropractic at the Durban University of Technology, 2009 / The aim of this study was to investigate the relative effectiveness of Transeva and spinal manipulative therapy for mechanical low back pain. The objectives evaluated the effectiveness of only administering Transeva therapy alone, or Spinal manipulative therapy alone as well as Transeva therapy with Spinal manipulative therapy on mechanical low back pain with respect to the patients’ subjective and objective responses to the respective treatment group. The final objective was to correlate the subjective and objective data collected to determine the effectiveness of each of the therapies in comparison with another. Design: A sample of thirty patients diagnosed with mechanical low back pain were accepted into the study. These patients were randomly divided into three groups of 10, which received different treatment protocols for mechanical low back pain. Outcome Measure: The following outcomes were measured; a decrease in pain (measured with the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NRS), a decrease in disability (measured with the Roland-Morris Questionnaire), a decrease in local tenderness (measured with the pressure Algometer) and an increase in lumbar range of motion (measured with the Inclinometer). The data was collected prior to treatment one, prior to treatment four and at the sixth follow-up visit. Results and Conclusion: All groups improved with the treatments they received; however, no single treatment was statistically better than any other treatment intervention tested. However, the Spinal manipulative therapy group had a statistically significant faster reduction in pain on the NRS readings with p=0.048.

A dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Durban Institute of Technology, 2002. / Headaches have been described as the most common medical complaint in society (Dalessia 1987:3), and Tension-type headaches constitute approximately 80% of these (Martin 1993:22). Although Episodic tension-type headache is more prevalent than Chronic tension-type headache and may have a greater societal impact, Chronic tension-type headache has by far a greater individual impact (Schwartz et aI, 1998) on the patient. The exact causes of Chronic tension-type headaches are not known and, as a result, treatment is commonly symptomatic in nature and aimed at reducing pain. To date, treatment commonly involves the use of drugs and with it comes the threat of drug-induced side-effects (Bendtsen et aI, 1996). The purpose of this study was to investigate two non-pharmacological treatments in the management of Chronic tension-type headaches, namely the relative effectiveness of Spinal Manipulative Therapy (SMT) in conjunction with Trans-cutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS), as compared with SMT and placebo TENS. ABSTRACT It was hypothesized that SMT in conjunction with TENS would provide a greater immediate and short-term benefit in comparison to SMT and placebo TENS in the treatment of mild / M

M.Tech. (Chiropractic) / Lateral elbow tendinopathy is the most frequent periarticular lesion which affects 1% to 3% of the general population and is a difficult condition to manage with a wide range of procedures and management protocols advocated (Abrahamson and Comfort, 2010). This study aimed to assess the efficacy of managing lateral elbow tendinopathy using therapeutic ultrasound (U/S), interferential current (IFC) or alternatively a combination of IFC and therapeutic U/S in addition to chiropractic manipulative therapy of the cervical spine and elbow. This study was a comparative study consisting of three groups of ten participants each with an equal gender ratio. Prior to becoming a participant in this study individuals were assessed according to the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Group A received therapeutic U/S; Group B received IFC and Group C received combination therapy of IFC and therapeutic U/S. All three groups received chiropractic manipulative therapy to the cervical spine and joints of the elbow complex. Subjective data was obtained using the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NPRS). Objective data was obtained using the pressure algometer (pain pressure threshold) and the Jamar grip strength dynamometer (pain-free grip strength) on the affected side. The study was conducted over a course of three weeks for a total of seven visits per participant. Subjective and objective data was collected pre-intervention on the first and fourth visits and on the seventh evaluation only visit. Analysis of the data collected was performed by a statistician. All three groups showed statistically significant clinical improvements in all measures. The only group not exhibiting a statistical significance was the therapeutic U/S group in the initial pain pressure threshold results. In the objective measures of all intervals none of the groups showed statistical superiority over one another. However, the final NPRS results showed statistically significant improvement in therapeutic U/S and combination therapy groups over IFC alone. From the results it can be concluded that all groups were effective for lateral elbow tendinopathy in conjunction with chiropractic manipulative therapy. With respects to subjective pain therapeutic U/S and combination therapy appeared to have a greater efficacy than IFC, but no superior modality was identified with respects to objective measures.

Mini-dissertation in partial compliance with the requirements for the Masters Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, in the Department of Chiropractic at the Durban University of Technology, 2009 / The aim of this study was to investigate the relative effectiveness of Transeva and spinal manipulative therapy for mechanical low back pain. The objectives evaluated the effectiveness of only administering Transeva therapy alone, or Spinal manipulative therapy alone as well as Transeva therapy with Spinal manipulative therapy on mechanical low back pain with respect to the patients’ subjective and objective responses to the respective treatment group. The final objective was to correlate the subjective and objective data collected to determine the effectiveness of each of the therapies in comparison with another. Design: A sample of thirty patients diagnosed with mechanical low back pain were accepted into the study. These patients were randomly divided into three groups of 10, which received different treatment protocols for mechanical low back pain. Outcome Measure: The following outcomes were measured; a decrease in pain (measured with the Numerical Pain Rating Scale (NRS), a decrease in disability (measured with the Roland-Morris Questionnaire), a decrease in local tenderness (measured with the pressure Algometer) and an increase in lumbar range of motion (measured with the Inclinometer). The data was collected prior to treatment one, prior to treatment four and at the sixth follow-up visit. Results and Conclusion: All groups improved with the treatments they received; however, no single treatment was statistically better than any other treatment intervention tested. However, the Spinal manipulative therapy group had a statistically significant faster reduction in pain on the NRS readings with p=0.048.

A dissertation presented in compliance with the requirements for the Master's Degree in Technology: Chiropractic, Technikon Natal, 2001. / Low back pain is a major health problem worldwide, and considerable amounts of money are spent on a variety of practitioners including medical practitioners, chiropractors, osteopaths, physiotherapists and others. There is a lack of consensus among these groups regarding the most appropriate therapy or management for low back pain. This disparity leads to the meritable conclusion that more research is required to accurately identify solutions for the management of low back pain (Walker, 1997:95-96). / M

A dissertation submitted in partial compliance with the Master's Diploma in Technology: Chiropractic at Technikon Natal, 1995. / The aim of this study was to determine whether the use of Interferential Current provided a non-invasive alternative to Dry Needling Agitation in the treatment of Myofascial Pain and Dysfunction Syndrome. A randomised Experimental Method of Single- Variable design was undertaken using the before-and-after-withcontrol design. / M