The Chiropractic and Traditional Medicine Symbiosis
By Chris Brown
Oftentimes, with medical issues, it can be difficult to decide between consulting a chiropractor and your primary care doctor. However, there doesn't have to be a choice when it comes to your healthcare. In fact, combining chiropractic treatments with primary care check-ups can provide you with the best of both options for your well-being. And doctors agree: A case study into chiropractic's integration into nine medical clinics found physicians very favorable toward chiropractic care. Not to mention, a well-rounded approach fits directly into chiropractic's philosophy of holistic body wellness.
It's Cheaper to Combine
A study by the North Carolina State Health Plan that tracked medical care costs for patients between 2000 and 2009 found that combined care of a medical doctor and chiropractic cost less than with mainstream medical care alone (with or without physical therapy). This is because chiropractic's ability to optimize the body magnifies the effectiveness of the mainstream medical treatment. Therefore, the patient has a speedier recovery with reduced risk of costly medications and expensive surgical procedures.
Faster Recovery and Fewer Injuries
When chiropractic is combined with primary care, patients typically recover quickly and permanently without the need for long-term medications or surgeries. In fact, chiropractic patients were 64 percent less likely to receive addictive opiate prescriptions than non-users according to a 2019 Pain Medicine study. When surgery is required, chiropractic allows the body to heal quicker and with better results by increasing blood flow, reducing remaining skeletal dysfunction, and optimizing the body's own recovery systems. Where chiropractic truly excels, however, is in preventative care. Chiropractic keeps the body in optimal shape and corrects joint dysfunctions to prevent future injury. This, combined with regular medical checkups that test internal bodily states, means you are much likelier to fix injury and illness before it reaches a serious level.
Better Patient Satisfaction
Because adding chiropractic to your primary care doctor adds the individual insight of additional medical professionals, those who regularly add chiropractic visits to their medical routine have a much greater satisfaction rate. Chiropractic itself continually receives very high ratings of patient satisfaction. A whopping 77 percent of people who saw a chiropractor in 2016 rated it as "very effective." This satisfaction jumps with back problems and pain, where chiropractors are rated highest among healthcare practitioners according to two Consumer Reports surveys (2011 and 2013). Adding chiropractic to the resources of your primary care can increase your satisfaction in healthcare dramatically.
Gives You the Widest Range of Treatment Possibilities
Combining chiropractic with primary medical doctors allows you to control your medical care by maximizing your treatment options. Typically, mainstream medicine's choices lean towards medication or surgery. Chiropractic can offer alternatives, though there are times when invasive surgery is the best possible outcome. Therefore, combining treatments is the only way to handle your medical issues from all angles. Also, if you do still require more extreme treatment after seeing your chiropractor, you'll have the peace of mind knowing that it is truly necessary.
For the chiropractic half of your health care, The Joint Chiropractic is your convenient, effective, and cost-efficient choice. With more than 600 clinics nationwide, treatment is available even if you're out of town and, without appointments accepted, you can walk-in for help at a moment's notice. Utilize The Joint's cost-effective, insurance-free care as part of your medical arsenal today.
To learn more about your health, wellness and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Cleveland, Tenn.