Back Pain Helped by Accessible Chiropractic Care in Cost and Relief
Back pain and neck pain are often painful as well as costly and oftentimes complex. Overall health care spending in the United State keeps increasing: $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 paid for by insurers,
low back pain and
neck pain were the costliest at $134.5 billion.
(What conditions followed? #2 was musculoskeletal disorders, and #3 was diabetes care.) (1) In one study of Medicare expenditures for chiropractic spine care, researchers found 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 spine pain conditions. Further, some financial savings for care of spine pain conditions was seen in the care of ambulatory patients that may well add up to bigger savings since spine pain conditions are so common in older adults. (2) Ambulatory patients can get themselves to a healthcare practitioner, and many go to chiropractors. Chiropractors are recognized for their care of the spine and spine-related, musculoskeletal conditions. A recent study noted that they, predictably, most often chose
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 experience in addition to spine pain that are not spine related. 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 the basis for chiropractors’ intensive diagnostic training and familiarity with co-management with other medical care as needed. Your chiropractor is prepared 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
Care of the spinal muscles is important, too. This applies to the young and old! For the older folks, it’s really important as loss of skeletal spinal mass - which alters lumbar lordosis, too - makes them vulnerable to chronic low back pain. (5) Fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles showed a significant relationship to a higher risk of back pain and disability in a recent study. (6) Electrical stimulation (in addition to exercise and nutrition which your chiropractor also supports!) is helpful in improving spinal muscle. Interferential current was said to be better than placebo at lowering pain and disability right after use in chronic low back pain patients. (7) Your individualized Williamson chiropractic treatment plan may include such adjunct 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 manage back pain in a patient with degenerative disc disease.
CONTACT Apple Country Chiropractic
Set your next Williamson chiropractic appointment with Apple Country Chiropractic now. We look forward to seeing you soon! And we're happy to share our chiropractic services to help relieve your pain.
