Essential Oil for Chronic Low Back Pain (ECAP)

The specific objective of this study is to assess the safety and clinical efficacy of a new individualised spinal rehabilitation programme involving copaiba essential oil (CEO) therapy compared to usual care for people with chronic low back pain. Research in complementary and alternative medicine has increased over the last 15 years. As biochemical research shows, these substances carry the ability to relieve pain and to reduce inflammation. In doing so, it aims to: Improve the health outcomes for individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP) by positively impacting their pain, disability, work capacity, physical activity and mental health, and Reduce the chronic health burden on society associated with treatment, sick leave, rehabilitation, and involuntary retirement, by reducing health-related costs. The primary clinical hypothesis is that patients with CLBP receiving individualised spinal care and additional CEO topical treatment will have superior short- and long-term outcome (defined by condition specific quality of life and general well-being) compared to usual care.

All subjects will receive daily interdisciplinary - multimodular -treatment during their hospital stay including a daily 30 minute massage therapy. Both experimental groups and the placebo group patients continue to use topical treatment in the first half of the follow up period (90 days).

All subjects will receive daily interdisciplinary - multimodular -treatment during their hospital stay including a daily 30 minute massage therapy. Both experimental groups and the placebo group patients continue to use topical treatment in the first half of the follow up period (90 days).

All subjects will receive daily interdisciplinary - multimodular -treatment during their hospital stay.

Visual Analogue Scale measured on a scale 0-10 where the higher the number the worse the pain intensity

A brief instrument for assessing the main outcomes of importance to patients with back problems (pain, function, symptom-specific well-being, quality of life, disability).

Inclusion Criteria: Chronic low back pain with or without irradiating pain (pain > 3 months) Low back pain is the dominant symptom, and Visual Analog Pain Scale (low back pain)>4 Normal cognitive function, voluntary participation Able to read and answer the questionnaires in English or Hungarian language Exclusion Criteria: Previous spinal surgery Untreated metabolic bone disease Active malignant disease Pregnancy Severe osteoporosis, fracture or posttraumatic deformity Spinal infection Neuromuscular disease Autoimmune disease Myelopathy Congenital spinal deformity Mental disorders Severe sciatica Severe spinal instability Refusing the study protocol