When back pain comes up (and/or has turned
into chronic low back pain) so too does the matter of
which healthcare provider to see. It’s
a valid question! Research maintains that the first healthcare professional
sets the course for care, cost, and outcome of the back pain flare-up.
A new study shared that first-provider chiropractic care endedup
being less expensive than care by other first-provider healthcare professionals.
OrthoIllinois Chiropractic provides individualized treatment plans for McHenry
back pain relief and prevention.
CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: Contributing and Preventing Factors
Despite the fact that chronic low back
pain is notably common in older adults, research just hasn’t
defined what contributes to it or to its
prevention. One review of 4 databases of 31,080 older adults exposed
an extensive list of factors 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 more than 10 years that demanded
bending/lifting, etc.) and factors that may prevent chronic low
back pain (intermediate level of leisure-time physical activity). (1) These
researchers, OrthoIllinois Chiropractic, and our patients would like to know more definitively
what triggers chronic low back pain!
Even more wanted is guidance on how to manage 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 stated
they advocated these approaches when patients asked
for them. More female than male physicians answered
using evidence in peer-reviewed journals as justification
for suggesting such approaches. (2) An additional troubling
factor for female back pain patients is that they are consistently
noted as having greater levels of frailty than men. (3) Frailty is always a concern in our older patients. OrthoIllinois Chiropractic is always ready to discuss the benefits
– recognized by patients and verified by
research – of chiropractic and more specifically, Cox® Technic, with interested healthcare
providers 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 consulting
certain providers first: orthopedist ($9434), acupuncturist ($9205), primary
care physician ($5660), and chiropractor ($5093). (4) Seeing
which provider first was the least expensive without any detrimental effect on diagnosis
or serious illness? The chiropractor! When it comes to
back pain, neck pain and spine-related pain, McHenry chiropractic care
makes sense.
CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Keith Bartley on The Back Doctors Podcast with
Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates the positive
outcome for a lumbar spinal stenosis low back pain sufferer who found
relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management after she had seen
other healthcare professionals.
Schedule your McHenry chiropractic
appointment now. The question of which healthcare provider
to see comes up, think of your
McHenry chiropractor!