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 US 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 that insurers pay for the coverage of,
low back pain and
neck pain were the costliest at $134.5 billion.
(If you’re curious, #2 was musculoskeletal disorders, and #3 was diabetes care.) (1) In one study of Medicare expenditures for spinal care by chiropractors, researchers found that $400 to $500 million was spent each year. They also stated that
more accessibility to chiropractic reduced the reliance on primary care services for spine pain conditions. Further, some monetary savings for treatment 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 take 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, most often 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 have in addition to spine pain that are not spine related. Researchers are working on gathering data that will show just how many of these types of conditions chiropractors find 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 via
The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
TIP OF THE MONTH: Understand Spinal Muscle Care: Electrical Current
Care of the spinal muscles is essential, too. This applies to young and old alike! For the older folks, it is really important as loss of skeletal spinal mass - which affects 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 encourages!) is helpful in enhancing spinal muscle. Interferential current was said to be better than placebo at reducing pain and disability immediately after use in chronic low back pain patients. (7) Your individualized Juneau chiropractic treatment plan may incorporate such add-on 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 Aurora Chiropractic Center
Set your next Juneau chiropractic visit with Aurora Chiropractic Center now. We look forward to seeing you soon! And we're happy to share our chiropractic services to help relieve your pain.
