They say
numbers don’t lie. There are lots of numbers available
in the world of back pain and neck pain statistics regarding costs and
outcomes. Vancouver Disc Centers presents a few of the more
recent ones that are quite interesting and supportive
of our Vancouver chiropractic method integrating
the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
OPTIONS USED FOR BACK PAIN VS BACK PAIN GUIDELINE
RECOMMENDATIONS
Treatment guidelines for back pain are well-established. Are they followed? Of 100 million patient
healthcare insurance claims, 56,000 experienced persistent low back
pain. These patients were not surgical candidates and had experienced conventional medical care. Of those 56,000,
60% utilized physical therapy, 50% experienced
chiropractic, 26% received steroid injections and 66% used
prescribed pain meds (57% opioids, 38% muscle relaxants). Were guidelines followed? Not exactly. Contrary to guidelines for low back pain treatment, most patients were given
opioids while several non-drug treatments were utilized by only a
few. (1) Another report stated that 775,893 general practitioner
visits resulted in 6,904 referrals (just 0.89%) to physiotherapy, a
non-pharmacological treatment choice for commonly
referred problems like low back pain and osteoarthritis. (2) The healthcare
costs of these patients were quite large. (1) Vancouver
back pain treatment costs are not that different.
COSTS OF BACK PAIN CARE
According
to a review of Humana insurance claims, the pre-operative costs
of conservative treatment alternatives for cervical spine
radiculopathy were just 37.7% of the total non-surgical
expenses for this condition. Injection costs were the highest,
coming in at $988 on average per patient. Other costs
were – in order of cost expenditure - physical therapy ($510), medications (narcotics,
gabapentin, NSAIDs), bracing ($193), and chiropractic services
($193). 62% of overall costs for care of cervical radiculopathy went
to diagnostic tests and such. (3) Vancouver neck and back pain sufferers
have an experienced chiropractic option in their chiropractor
at Vancouver Disc Centers.
INTERPROFESSIONAL REFERRAL FOR BACK PAIN CARE
Recent data showed a 106% rise
in the number of physician visits for low back pain and extremity pain that resulted in referral to another physician partly
because of ineffective outpatient conservative treatment.
The study that discussed this finding concluded
with the suggestion that patients who are most likely to need surgery would be
referred to as their first subspeciality, a surgeon. Further,
patients who are less likely to need surgery would see
a non-surgical spine specialist or primary care physician. (4)
Your Vancouver chiropractor at Vancouver Disc Centers is well-prepared
to be the Vancouver non-surgical spine specialist this article suggests
for our Vancouver low back pain and neck pain and arm pain and leg pain
sufferers!
CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF TREATMENT
Of 609 patients with sciatica and back-related leg pain
visiting primary care physicians, only 55% reported ‘improvement’
– just 30% or more reduction in disability - at one year follow-up. (5)
Chiropractors using the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management strive
for at minimum a 50% decrease of pain non-surgically
in 30 days. In a 1000 cases study of Cox® Technic treatment
outcomes, leg pain radicular patients improved significantly more
with Cox® Technic flexion distraction therapy than with physical therapy. (6)
In a study of post-surgical continued back pain patients, 81% of them scored
greater than 50% relief of pain in 11 visits in 49 days (mean). At two your
follow-up, 78.6% of them still had greater than 50% relief of pain.
Mean relief of pain was maintained: 71.6% at the end of active
care and 70% at 2-year follow-up. (7) Your Vancouver chiropractor provides
just such relief and knows when to refer if necessary.
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Byron Folwell on The Back Doctors Podcast with
Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates The Cox® Technic
System of Spinal Pain Management incorporation for reducing
post-surgical continued back pain.
Make your Vancouver chiropractic
appointment soon. Don’t let numbers concern
you. Let them enlighten your path to pain relief. See
you soon!