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                    Bed rest has been recommended for many conditions, including 
                    low back pain and rheumatoid arthritis. The idea of prescribing 
                    bed rest for illness perhaps stemmed from a quote by the "father 
                    of medicine," Hippocrates: "In every movement of 
                    the body, whenever one begins to endure pain, it will be relieved 
                    by rest." 
                                    
 
 Hippocrates' 
                    advice was proffered in the 4th century B.C., but the practice 
                    of prescribing bed rest remains, despite little evidence of 
                    its effectiveness. In a review published in the journal Lancet, 
                    authors evaluated 39 different studies on bed rest prescribed 
                    for 15 different conditions, involving a total of 5,777 patients. 
                   
                   Results of the analysis revealed that bed rest was not an 
                    effective treatment recommendation. In 24 trials investigating 
                    bed rest following a medical procedure, no patients improved 
                    significantly and eight worsened significantly. And in 15 
                    trials investigating bed rest as a primary treatment, no patients 
                    improved significantly, while nine worsened significantly. 
                   
                  Healing involves much more than rest, a fact which this study 
                    seems to emphasize but which many doctors seem to ignore. 
                    Donšt settle for quick medical advice (pills, bed rest, etc.) 
                    that may end up doing more harm than good, or no good at all. 
                    Consult with your doctor of chiropractic for information on 
                    active, noninvasive approaches to managing a variety of health 
                    problems.  
                  Reference: 
                  Allen C, Glasziou P, Del Mar C. Bed rest: a potentially harmful 
                    treatment needing more careful evaluation. Lancet 1999: 
                    Vol. 354, pp1229-33.  
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