Back Pain Helped by Accessible Chiropractic Care in Cost and Relief
Back pain and neck pain are often painful as well as costly and oftentimes complex. Overall health care spending in the US keeps increasing: $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 stated that
higher accessibility to chiropractic reduced the reliance on primary care services for spine pain conditions. Further, some financial savings for treatment of spine pain conditions was seen in the care of ambulatory patients that may well equate to bigger savings since spine pain conditions are so common in older adults. (2) Ambulatory patients can take themselves to a healthcare provider, and many go to chiropractors. Chiropractors are recognized for their care of the spine and spine-related, musculoskeletal conditions. A new study noted that they, predictably, usually chose
spinal manipulation for clinical encounters involving spinal conditions and soft tissue approaches for extremity pain conditions.
(3) Chiropractors are well-trained to diagnose co-morbidities, conditions that spine pain patients experience in addition to spine pain that are not spine related. Researchers are working on gathering data that will show just how many such conditions chiropractors see in their patients.
(4) This existence of non-spine related conditions is a basis for chiropractors’ intensive diagnostic training and familiarity with co-management with other medical care as is necessary. Your chiropractor is ready to examine, diagnose, and treat your
spine-related pain condition regardless of its complexity in a cost-effective, gentle, evidence-based manner often using
The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
TIP OF THE MONTH: Understand Spinal Muscle Care: Electrical Current
Paying attention to the spinal muscles is important, too. This applies to young and old alike! For the older folks, it’s really essential as loss of skeletal spinal mass - which affects lumbar lordosis, too - makes them vulnerable to chronic low back pain. (5) Fatty infiltration of the paraspinal muscles correlated greatly with a higher risk of back pain and disability in a recent study. (6) Electrical stimulation (as well as exercise and nutrition which your chiropractor also encourages!) is helpful in enhancing spinal muscle. Interferential current was said to be better than placebo at decreasing pain and disability immediately after use in chronic low back pain patients. (7) Your individualized Toronto chiropractic treatment plan may incorporate such adjunct 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 Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre
Schedule your next Toronto chiropractic visit with Yorkville Chiropractic and Wellness Centre soon. We look forward to seeing you soon! And we're happy to share our chiropractic services to help relieve your pain.
