The Choice of Chiropractic Care First for
Back Pain: Reduced Gabapentin Prescription, Reduced Pain, Less Healthcare Use
Back pain is challenging. Its sufferers want
relief. Would it not be great if
a pill would do it?! Many back pain sufferers step into
the back pain relief medical system and are given prescriptions for
meds first. They take them with hope for
relief of pain. (Because this is so common, we chiropractors recognize
that we need to be well-trained to identify patients who
may have a substance use issue and know how to
help if the use is a problem. (1)) Recent research notes
that the first-choice healthcare provider makes a
difference in patients’ utilization of healthcare services. An assessment of 29,806 patient cases that analyzed utilization of healthcare
for the year following the first visit and found that use
was less for those who made the choice to see a chiropractor first. The highest
health care utilization was seen for those who visited
the emergency room as their first healthcare visit
for back pain relief. (2) Another study noted that for
patients under age 50 who are dealing
with low back pain, two usual
options of care and of care providers are spinal manipulation from a
chiropractor and pharmacological prescription of gabapentin from a medical
provider. Prescriptions for gabapentin were significantly lower for those
who used chiropractic spinal manipulative care than those who used
usual medical care. (3) Your chiropractor recognizes the value
of interdisciplinary care and works with healthcare
colleagues for the benefit of our back pain patients whenever possible and the value
of provider choice with regards to relief and care. Your
Groton chiropractor at Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office is poised to
help our Groton back pain patients with our effective chiropractic services!
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Kurt Olding on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson about the many choices back pain patients in “The Spine Care ‘Supermarket’” and how choosing The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management helps manage the pain.
TIP OF THE MONTH: Improve Hip Flexibility, Relieve Back Pain
When the hips are tight, the back gets stressed,
and movement is altered. Remember: Everything is linked! Researchers who evaluated
hip rotation range of motion in participants who reported
back pain and those who did not found that those with low back
pain had extraordinarily restricted hip lateral
rotation range of motion. (4) Luckily, there are ways to improve
hip flexibility. One new way is auricular acupressure. What is
that? Ask at your next appointment, but it enhanced hip
flexibility (and back pain!) in one new study. (5) Another study touted
the benefit of core stability exercise and hip muscle stretching as effective
at improving physical function and activity in non-specific low
back pain patients. (6) We can check your hip flexibility out at
your next Groton chiropractic appointment and plan a way to boost
it!
CONTACT Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office
Schedule your next Groton
chiropractic visit with Shoreline Medical Services/ Hutter Chiropractic Office now. We’ll
see you soon!
"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the
DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by
Dr. James M. Cox I."