Comparison Of Williamson Back Pain Relief Via Opioid Or Spinal Manipulation

“What should I do about my back pain? It’s been going on for so long.”

Sound familiar? Sure, it does! Apple Country Chiropractic knows  Williamson back pain patients struggle with this question. There are a variety of options – rest, exercise, meds, manipulation, chiropractic, medicine, yoga, acupuncture, surgery, etc. – which makes it difficult to decide. Recent studies have looked at the cost, safety, and risk of treatment escalation for patients who choose spinal manipulation initially compared with those who choose opioid analgesic treatment first for their chronic low back pain. The findings are thought-provoking.

COSTS OF OPIOID VS SMT FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN MEDICARE PATIENTS

Chronic low back pain is a costly condition, but just how costly is it? A review of Medicare health spendings for long-term care of chronic low back pain assessed the costs of opioid analgesic treatment versus those for spinal manipulation therapy. There were 28,160 participants aged 65-84 years old. 77% started with opioid therapy for their chronic low back pain. 23% started with SMT. The long-term expenses for opioid-therapy patients were 58% lower, but long-term overall healthcare expenditures were 1.87 times greater for those same opioid patients. (1) Apple Country Chiropractic follows a system of Williamson chiropractic treatment frequency guided by the 50% Rule seeking 50% relief of pain within 30 days with more visits initially and fewer as the pain reduces.

SAFETY OF OPIOIDS VS SMT FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN MEDICARE PATIENTS

Cost is one thing. What about safety? An analysis of patient files of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 to 84 with chronic low back pain for 5 years looked at the long-term safety of two usual approaches to chronic low back pain: opioid analgesic therapy and spinal manipulation therapy. The researchers considered a few types of patient records: patients who only received spinal manipulation, only received opioids, began with opioids then had spinal manipulation, and began with spinal manipulation then supplemented with opioids. What did they find? The risk of adverse drug events was substantially higher – 42 times higher - for patients who started with opioid therapy first for their chronic back pain than those who commenced care with spinal manipulation. (2) Apple Country Chiropractic utilizes the well research-documented, safe, gentle protocols of Cox® Technic.

ESCALATION OF CARE RISK FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN MEDICARE PATIENTS

Research documents another important factor in back pain treatment: how well does a treatment keep a patient from having to undergo more complex treatment? A third review of Medicare patient data looked at escalation of care risk – hospital stays, emergency room visits, imaging, back surgery, pain med interventions, and other such encounters for possible complications of chronic low back pain – in long-term chronic low back pain care patients who started with opioid analgesic therapy or spinal manipulation therapy. Starting care with spinal manipulation therapy was linked to reduced rates of escalation of care. The rate of escalated care encounters was 2.5 times higher for opioid care patients. (3) The use of Cox® Technic at Apple Country Chiropractic minimizes the need for escalated care while carefully monitoring each patient for any signs that such may be helpful or needed.

CONTACT Apple Country Chiropractic

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Nike Taylor on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes treatment of chronic low back pain via the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System of Spinal Pain Management.

Schedule your Williamson chiropractic appointment now. Whether the response to the question of “what should I do about my back pain?” was opioid treatment or other care, spinal manipulation at Apple Country Chiropractic may well be your next (or your initial if you are just starting the search for help) treatment that will help you attain the back pain relief you want in a cost-effective, safe way. 

 
Apple Country Chiropractic presents new comparison studies of the safety, cost, and effectiveness in reducing the risk of further care of chronic low back pain: opioid vs spinal manipulation treatments. 
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."