See Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office First for Chronic Low Back Pain
When back pain comes up (and/or has transitioned into chronic low back pain) so too does the question of which healthcare professional to see. It’s a valid question! Research reports that the first healthcare professional establishes the course for care, cost, and outcome of the back pain episode. A new study reported that first-provider chiropractic care endedup being less expensive than care by other first-provider healthcare professionals. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office delivers individualized treatment plans for Groton back pain relief and prevention.
CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN: Contributing and Preventing Factors
Even though chronic low back pain is notably common in older adults, research just hasn’t defined what contributes to it or to its prevention. One analysis of 4 databases of 31,080 older adults exposed an extensive list of factors that may contribute (from being female, obese, anxious, depressed, having fallen, lifestyle issues like smoking, having weak abdominal muscles, occupational issues like having a job for longer than 10 years that demanded bending/lifting, etc.) and issues that may prevent chronic low back pain (intermediate level of leisure-time physical activity). (1) These researchers, Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office, and our patients would like to know more definitively what affects chronic low back pain! Even more desired is direction on what to do about 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 questioned 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 reported they recommended these approaches when patients requested them. More female than male physicians answered using evidence in peer-reviewed journals as rationale for recommending 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. Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office is always prepared to discuss the benefits – perceived by patients and documented by research – of chiropractic and more specifically, Cox® Technic, with interested healthcare physicians and spine pain sufferers.
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) Consulting which provider first was the least expensive without any delay in diagnosis or serious illness? The chiropractor! With regards to back pain, neck pain and spine-related pain, Groton chiropractic care makes sense.
CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
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 got relief with The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management after she had seen other healthcare professionals.
Make your Groton chiropractic appointment soon. The question of which healthcare provider to consult arises, remember your Groton chiropractor!
