When back pain comes up (and/or has turned
into chronic low back pain) so too does the matter of
which healthcare provider to see. It’s
a valid question! Research states that the first healthcare professional
establishes the course for care, cost, and outcome of the back pain episode.
A new study shared that first-provider chiropractic care endedup
being less expensive than care by other first-provider healthcare professionals.
Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office provides individualized treatment plans for Groton
back pain relief and prevention.
CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: Contributing and Preventing Factors
Even though chronic low back
pain is so common in older adults, research just has not
defined what contributes to it or to its
prevention. One review of 4 databases of 31,080 older adults uncovered
an extensive list of issues that may contribute (from being
female, obese, anxious, depressed, having fallen,
lifestyle issues like smoking, having weak abdominal muscles, occupational requirements
like having a job for longer than 10 years that necessitated
bending/lifting, etc.) and factors that may prevent chronic low
back pain (intermediate level of leisure-time physical activity). (1) These
researchers, Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office, and our patients would like to know more conclusively
what influences chronic low back pain!
Even more wanted is guidance on how to manage it.
REFERRALS FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE
A survey of US office-based physicians tackled how referrals
affected the care of back pain. The participating physicians
were questioned as to their referrals for particular
complementary health approaches like herbs/non-vitamin supplements,
chiropractic and osteopathic manipulation, acupuncture and mind-body therapies
(meditation, guided imagery, progressive relaxation). 60% of the physicians said
they endorsed these approaches when patients asked
for them. More female than male physicians related
using evidence in peer-reviewed journals as reasoning
for recommending such approaches. (2) An additional troubling
factor for female back pain sufferers is that they are consistently
noted as having greater levels of frailty than men. (3) Frailty is always of concern in our older patients. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office is always ready to discuss the benefits
– perceived by patients and documented by
research – of chiropractic and more specifically, Cox® Technic, with interested healthcare
professionals and spine pain patients.
CHIROPRACTIC RISES TO THE TOP
Another review of 3,799,593 low back pain patients appeared this past month highlighting how influential
the first healthcare provider was in their study on cost and outcome for back
pain. Healthcare utilization (imaging, prescriptions, tests, visits, etc.),
opioid prescribing, and cost were greater when seeing
certain providers first: orthopedist ($9434), acupuncturist ($9205), primary
care physician ($5660), and chiropractor ($5093). (4) Consulting
which provider first was the least expensive without any detrimental effect on diagnosis
or serious illness? The chiropractor! When it comes to
back pain, neck pain and spine-related pain, Groton chiropractic care
makes sense.
CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Keith Bartley on The Back Doctors Podcast with
Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the good
outcome for a lumbar spinal stenosis low back pain sufferer who got
relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management after she had consulted
other healthcare professionals.
Make your Groton chiropractic
appointment today. The question of which healthcare provider
to consult comes up, remember your
Groton chiropractor!