When back pain comes up (and/or has transitioned
into chronic low back pain) so too does the concern of
which healthcare provider to see. It is
a valid question! Research maintains that the first healthcare provider
sets the course for care, cost, and outcome of the back pain flare-up.
A new study reported that first-provider chiropractic care was less expensive than care by other first-provider healthcare professionals.
Spinal Care Clinic provides individualized treatment plans for Burlington and Hamilton
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 review 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 issues
like having a job for longer than 10 years that required
bending/lifting, etc.) and issues that may prevent chronic low
back pain (intermediate level of leisure-time physical activity). (1) These
researchers, Spinal Care Clinic, and our patients would like to know more definitively
what triggers chronic low back pain!
Even more desired is guidance on how to handle
it.
REFERRALS FOR CHIROPRACTIC CARE
A survey of US office-based physicians tackled how referrals
affected the care of back pain. The participants
were queried as to their referrals for particular
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 recommended these approaches when patients requested them. More female than male physicians reported
using evidence in peer-reviewed journals as justification
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 of concern in our older patients. Spinal Care Clinic is always ready to discuss the benefits
– recognized 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 turned
up this past month highlighting how important
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! With regards to
back pain, neck pain and spine-related pain, Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic care
makes sense.
CONTACT Spinal Care Clinic
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 consulted
other healthcare professionals.
Make your Burlington and Hamilton chiropractic
appointment soon. The question of which healthcare professional
to consult comes up, remember your
Burlington and Hamilton chiropractor!