Research Supports the Benefits of Chiropractic
By Debra Rodzinak
For years, the medical community has been warming up to the field of chiropractic for treating back and joint pain. Now, research supports these benefits.
Acute and Chronic Pain
When combined with standard medical care, chiropractic was found to improve overall movement while lowering pain in adults between the ages of 18 to 35 who suffer from acute lower back pain.
Studies have shown that between chiropractic, exercise, and general medical care, patients recovered faster over the course of a year when chiropractic was used for neck pain. In another study, patients with lower back pain found that chiropractic was more effective in treating their pain and overall satisfaction than the family physician after one month.
Comparisons to Other Treatments
Chiropractic manipulation was effective 94 percent of the time in reducing pain versus 69 percent effectiveness when primary medical care was used. Surgery risks were also reduced significantly when a chiropractor was seen for workers who had back injuries versus patients who visited a surgeon. Chiropractic patients also experienced less pain, increased function, and overall greater satisfaction for acute and chronic pain.
Headaches
For patients who suffered with headaches, studies found that manipulation of the cervical spine (neck) improved the overall outcomes for headaches, neck pain, and neck dysfunction. Tension headaches were found to be successfully treated with spinal manipulative therapy.
Neck Pain
When comparing chiropractic, pain medication, and exercise therapy, after 12 weeks, patients found that chiropractic was the most effective treatment for their neck pain. Exercise came in at a close second and pain medicine was the least effective. After a year, the results showed that over half of those who used chiropractic had a 75 percent reduction in pain.
Cost Effectiveness
In North Carolina, a study that collected data for a 10-year period showed that patients who used chiropractic along with their regular care doctor incurred fewer charges for lower back problems than patients who relied solely on their medical care doctor.
After studying Medicare patients with lower back pain, the older patients who incurred the highest costs relied on their regular medical doctor only. The patients who had the lowest costs with the highest gains visited a chiropractor.
If you are suffering from lower back pain and want lower overall costs and higher overall satisfaction rates and pain reduction, visit the expert doctors at The Joint. With no pesky insurance forms to fill out or appointment times to remember, finding relief for your lower back pain is just a walk-in away.