Effect of soft and prolonged Graeco-Arabic massage in low back pain - A randomized controlled clinical trial

Low back pain (waja-uz-zahr) due to lumbar spondylosis affects approximately 60-80% of the population at any point of life. The present study was aimed to evaluate the efficacy of soft and prolonged massage with roghan-i-suranjan on low back pain.

Clinically and radiologically diagnosed patients of low back pain were randomized into test and control groups consisting 20 patients in each group. The patients in test group received soft and prolonged massage with roghan-i-suranjan; while, in control group, short wave diathermy was given on every alternate day up to 20 min for 3 weeks. The patients were assessed before and after the treatment using the VAS and ODI (OLBP) scales.

VAS score was reduced to 42.14%, (p < 0.001) in massage and 13.94%, (p < 0.008) in control group after the treatment [Percentual Change (PC) between the groups = 54.35%, p < 0.001]. OLBP score was improved to 37.16% (p < 0.001) in massage and 5.93% (p < 0.0012) in control group after the treatment [PC between the groups = 29.57%, p < 0.02].

Apart from the muhallil-i-awram (anti-inflammatory), mulattif (attenuative), daf-i-alam (analgesic), and musakkin (sedative) activities of the tested-drugs, the specific strokes soft and prolonged massage further enhances the evacuative and rejuvenative process through its own action of tahleel (dissolution), talteef (attenuation), taskeen (sedation), and taskheen (diaphoresis) induced by the various manipulations used in this massage. Soft and prolonged massage with tested oil was found effective in reducing the pain and improving the quality of life in the patients of low back pain.