Sweeney Health Centers • Patient education
Research Briefs
What does the research actually say about moving better, living with less pain, and protecting nerve function? These briefs from Sweeney Health Centers translate the studies into plain English and link directly to the evidence.
Two series: Our Chiropractic Research Brief covers back and neck pain, headaches, exercise, and rehabilitation. Our Neuropathy Research Brief covers sensation, balance, circulation, and nerve recovery. Each edition explains what was measured, what remains uncertain, and a question you can bring to your next visit.
Choose a series: Chiropractic research · Neuropathy research
Browse the research briefs
Can cooling during chemotherapy prevent numbness?
A review of studies in breast cancer found that supervised cooling during paclitaxel treatment was associated with a lower risk of at least moderate neuropathy. Read the brief
What can research tell us about the safety of neck manipulation?
A review of ten observational studies examined whether vascular events involving the head or neck occurred more often after chiropractic spinal adjustment. Read the brief
Is a stronger neck adjustment more effective?
In a crossover trial, 89 adults with persistent mechanical neck pain received manipulation and gentler mobilization on separate occasions. Read the brief
When back pain deserves a different kind of evaluation
New expert referral recommendations address people whose persistent back pain began before age 45. Read the brief
Protecting nerves before chemotherapy is different from repairing them afterward
Researchers found that psilocybin given before certain chemotherapy drugs protected sensory nerves in mice. Read the brief
What does getting better with chronic pain look like?
Knee arthritis involves more than mechanical load. Read the brief
Numb feet after chemotherapy: why ask about near-falls?
A review of 11 observational studies estimated that about one in four people studied with chemotherapy-related neuropathy reported a fall. Read the brief
Gentle movement and the fear of making pain worse
A review of research on Tai Chi and related exercise found benefits for selected conditions, including physical function in knee osteoarthritis. Read the brief
Can a skin biopsy show that small nerve fibers are changing?
A small, industry-developed phase 2 trial of topical pirenzepine in people with type 2 diabetes found a change in skin nerve-fiber density after 24 weeks at the higher… Read the brief
Back pain: how much can an adjustment or a swim help?
A Cochrane review found that spinal adjustment offered a small average short-term benefit for chronic low-back pain compared with sham care. Read the brief
Browse the full research archive