Back
Pain Helped by Accessible Chiropractic Care in Cost and Relief
Back pain and neck pain are not only painful but also costly and oftentimes complex. Overall health care
spending in the US keeps rising: $1.4
trillion in 1996 to $3.1 trillion in 2016. It makes up 18% of
the US economy as of 2020. Of the top 154 conditions that insurers pay for
the coverage of,
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 reported
that $400 to $500 million was spent each year. They also noted
that
more accessibility to chiropractic lowered the
reliance on primary care services for painful spinal
conditions. Further, some monetary savings for management
of spine pain conditions was reported for ambulatory
patients that may well add up to large savings since
spine pain conditions are so common in older adults. (2)
Ambulatory patients can get themselves to a healthcare provider,
and many go to chiropractors. Chiropractors are recognized
for their care of the spine and spine-related, musculoskeletal conditions. A new
study reported that they, predictably, usually elected to use
spinal manipulation for clinical treatments
of spinal conditions and soft tissue approaches for
extremity pain conditions.
(3) Chiropractors are well-trained to
diagnose co-morbidities, conditions that spine pain patients deal
with in addition to spine pain that are not related to
the spine. Researchers are presently collecting
data that will show just how many such
conditions chiropractors see in their patients.
(4) This existence
of non-spine related conditions is the basis for chiropractors’
intensive diagnostic training and comfort with co-management
with other medical care as needed. Your chiropractor is ready
to examine, diagnose, and treat your
spine-related pain condition regardless of its complexity in a cost-effective, gentle,
evidence-based manner often using
The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
TIP OF THE MONTH: Understand Spinal Muscle Care: Electrical Current
Paying attention to the spinal muscles is essential,
too. This applies to the young and old! 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 correlated greatly with
a higher 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 enhancing
spinal muscle. Interferential current was said to be better
than placebo at decreasing pain and disability right
after use in chronic low back pain patients. (7) Your individualized La Grande chiropractic treatment plan may incorporate such additional
care alongside 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 manage
back pain in a patient with degenerative disc disease.
CONTACT Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
Schedule your next La Grande
chiropractic visit with Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC soon.
We look forward to seeing you soon! And we're happy to share our chiropractic services to help relieve your pain.
