When back pain arises (and/or has transitioned
into chronic low back pain) so too does the question of
which healthcare professional to consult. It’s
a valid question! Research reports that the first healthcare provider
sets the course for care, cost, and outcome of the back pain episode.
A new study stated that first-provider chiropractic care endedup
being less expensive than care by other first-provider healthcare professionals.
Vancouver Disc Centers provides individualized treatment plans for Vancouver
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 hasn’t
described what contributes to it or to its
prevention. One analysis of 4 databases of 31,080 older adults uncovered
an extensive list of issues that may contribute (from being
female, obese, anxious, depressed, having had falls in the past,
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 issues that may prevent chronic low
back pain (intermediate level of leisure-time physical activity). (1) These
researchers, Vancouver Disc Centers, and our patients would like to know more definitively
what triggers chronic low back pain!
Even more desired is guidance on what to do about 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 queried as to their referrals for certain
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 reported
using evidence in peer-reviewed journals as rationale
for recommending such approaches. (2) An additional concerning
factor for female back pain sufferers is that they are consistently
seen as having higher levels of frailty than men. (3) Frailty is always a concern in our older patients. Vancouver Disc Centers is always prepared to share the benefits
– perceived by patients and verified by
research – of chiropractic and more specifically, Cox® Technic, with interested healthcare
physicians 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 resulted in the lowest cost of
care without any delay in diagnosis
or serious illness? The chiropractor! When it comes to
back pain, neck pain and spine-related pain, Vancouver chiropractic care
makes sense.
CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Keith Bartley on The Back Doctors Podcast with
Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes the positive
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 seen
other healthcare providers.
Make your Vancouver chiropractic
appointment now. The question of which healthcare professional
to see arises, remember your
Vancouver chiropractor!