Back Pain Helped by Accessible Chiropractic Care in Cost and Relief
Back pain and neck pain are often painful as well as costly and manytimes complex. Overall health care spending in the US keeps increasing: $1.4 trillion in 1996 to $3.1 trillion in 2016. It accounts for 18% of the US economy as of 2020. Of the top 154 conditions paid for by insurers,
low back pain and
neck pain were the most costly at $134.5 billion.
(If you’re curious, #2 was musculoskeletal disorders, and #3 was diabetes care.) (1) In a Medicare expenditure study of chiropractic spine care, researchers found that $400 to $500 million was spent each year. They also stated that
higher accessibility to chiropractic lowered the reliance on primary care services for spine pain conditions. Further, some financial savings for management of spine pain conditions was reported for ambulatory patients that may well equate to large savings since spine pain conditions are seen so often in older adults. (2) Ambulatory patients can get themselves to a healthcare provider, and many find their way to chiropractors. Chiropractors are known for their care of the spine and spine-related, musculoskeletal conditions. A recent study noted that they, not surprisingly, usually elected to use
spinal manipulation for clinical encounters involving spinal conditions and soft tissue approaches for extremity pain conditions.
(3) Chiropractors are well-trained to diagnose co-morbidities, conditions that spine pain patients have in addition to spine pain that are not related to the spine. Researchers are presently collecting data that will reveal just how many of these types of conditions chiropractors see in their patients.
(4) This existence of non-spine related conditions is a basis for chiropractors’ intensive diagnostic training and familiarity with co-management with other medical care as is necessary. Your chiropractor is prepared to examine, diagnose, and treat your
spine-related pain condition regardless of its complexity in a cost-effective, gentle, well-researched manner often using
The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
TIP OF THE MONTH: Understand Spinal Muscle Care: Electrical Current
Care of the spinal muscles is important, too. This applies to young and old alike! For the older folks, it’s really important as loss of skeletal spinal mass - which influences lumbar lordosis, too - makes them vulnerable to chronic low back pain. (5) Fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles showed a significant relationship to a greater risk of back pain and disability in a recent study. (6) Electrical stimulation (as well as exercise and nutrition which your chiropractor also encourages!) is helpful in improving spinal muscle. Interferential current was reportedly better than placebo at lowering pain and disability immediately after use in chronic low back pain patients. (7) Your individualized Elgin chiropractic treatment plan may incorporate such additional care along with spinal manipulation. Embrace it!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Jay Young on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about use of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management to treat and contain back pain in a patient with degenerative disc disease.
CONTACT Connected Chiropractic
Schedule your next Elgin chiropractic appointment with Connected Chiropractic soon. We’ll see you soon! And we're happy to share our chiropractic services to help relieve your pain.
