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 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
chiropractic spine care, researchers found
that $400 to $500 million was spent each year. They also noted
that
more accessibility to chiropractic reduced 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 equate to bigger savings since
spine pain conditions are seen so often in older adults. (2)
Ambulatory patients can take themselves to a healthcare provider,
and many find their way to chiropractors. Chiropractors are known
for their care of the spine and spine-related, musculoskeletal conditions. A recent
study reported that they, not surprisingly, usually elected to use
spinal manipulation for clinical treatments
of spinal conditions and soft tissue approaches for
extremity pain conditions.
(3) Chiropractors are well-educated 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 of these types of
conditions chiropractors see in their patients.
(4) This existence
of non-spine related conditions is a basis for chiropractors’
intensive diagnostic training and comfort with co-management
with other medical care as needed. Your chiropractor is prepared
to examine, diagnose, and treat your
spine-related pain condition no
matter its complexity in a cost-effective, gentle,
well-researched 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 important,
too. This applies to the young and old! For the older
folks, it is really essential 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 correlated greatly with
a greater 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 reportedly better
than placebo at reducing pain and disability right
after use in chronic low back pain patients. (7) Your individualized Richmond chiropractic treatment plan may include 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 treat and contain
back pain in a patient with degenerative disc disease.
CONTACT Johnson Chiropractic
Make your next Richmond
chiropractic visit with Johnson Chiropractic now.
We’ll see you soon! And we're happy to share our chiropractic services to help relieve your pain.
