The news that antibiotics can cure backpain is amazing mastmedical.com. The evidence that’s been presented is pretty compelling. Matt Todman, the Clinical Director of Six Physio is one of only a handful of accredited MAST practitioners.
The diagnosis of modic changes must be made by MRI, and the right scan needs to be ordered to see these changes. The changes, which are seen in the boney bodies of the lumbar vertebra, are to all intense and purposes stress fractures due to a discal dysfunction. Not everyone will have modic changes, but for a percentage of people with chronic pain, rather than those with poorly managed pain, they will fit this criteria, especially if their current level of rehab or exercise is making them worse.
The treatment of choice is a 100 day course of antibiotics, which has a 70% cure rate.
Admittedly there need to be more RCTs and studies done a few years down the line, but so far this is very interesting stuff.
