Study on Ayurvedic massage for chronic back pain

The aim of the study was to investigate the effectiveness of Ayurvedic massage in the treatment of non-specific chronic low back pain as part of a randomized clinical trial.

64 patients with chronic low back pain were randomly assigned to either a two-week Ayurvedic massage group or a two-week local heat therapy group. The primary outcome was the change in average pain from baseline to week 4, assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS).

Secondary outcomes included pain-related discomfort, disability, quality of life and psychological outcomes. The results showed a significant reduction in average back pain in the massage group compared to the heat therapy group at week 2.

While the Ayurveda treatment had a positive effect on pain-related discomfort and psychological well-being, it did not result in short-term improvement in function or limitation. Both treatments were found to be safe and well tolerated.

The study suggests that external Ayurvedic treatment is effective in relieving pain in chronic low back pain in the short term, but further studies with longer observation periods are needed to assess the long-term effects on function and disability.