Chiropractic Research Brief · September 7, 2026
New expert referral recommendations address people whose persistent back pain began before age 45. A history of inflammatory eye disease, psoriasis, inflammatory bowel disease, or certain laboratory or imaging findings can help identify who should see a rheumatologist. This is a referral guide; it does not diagnose inflammatory arthritis on its own.
What this means for patients
In a neck-pain trial, a program involving the ribs and diaphragm improved selected measurements, but disability did not clearly differ between groups. In a separate small low-back-pain study, both hands-on treatment groups improved; the researchers were testing whether a larger trial was feasible, not establishing a superior technique.
A question to bring to your next visit
Does anything in my history suggest I need a different evaluation before more treatment?