Respect for chiropractic has increased because of the therapy's track record as an appropriate treatment, particularly for early-stage lower-back pain, which is the second most costly medical problem in America. The Journal of the American Medical Association reported that chiropractic manipulation has been shown to have a "reasonably good degree of efficacy in relieving back pain, headaches and similar musculoskeletal problems."

Several studies indicate that chiropractic patients are more satisfied with their treatment than are those who receive traditional medical care and that they are less likely to seek care elsewhere for the same problem. Chiropractic patients also have the perception that chiropractors spend more face-to-face time with them than do their other health care professionals.

 

Chiropractic: It SatisfiesThree times as many patients with low back pain visit a medical doctor as a chiropractor for treatment, despite studies that indicate chiropractic patients report greater satisfaction than those seeking medical care. Unlike general practitioners, doctors of chiropractic specialize in the management of back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions.

To determine differences in patient satisfaction and communication with treatment provider between chiropractic and medical back-pain patients, researchers focused on members of a managed care organization in California. Members, who suffered from low back pain, were divided to receive one of four forms of care: medical; medical plus physical therapy; chiropractic; or chiropractic plus therapeutic modalities (such as electrical nerve stimulation). Satisfaction scores of 10-50 (50 indicating "most satisfied") after four weeks were compared among treatment groups.

Satisfaction scores were significantly higher for chiropractic patients than for medical patients (36.1 vs. 30.6, respectively). Chiropractic patients also indicated receiving more advice on self-care and better explanations of treatment. One-quarter as many patients assigned to medical treatment reported being given an explanation of treatment, compared to patients assigned to chiropractic care (16% vs. 61%).

As this study in the American Journal of Public Health shows, chiropractic continues to outperform traditional medical care for back pain treatment. Talk to your doctor of chiropractic about the other health concerns he or she can address.

Reference:

Hertzman-Miller RP, Morgenstern H, et al. Comparing the satisfaction of low back pain patients randomized to receive medical or chiropractic care: Results from the UCLA Low-Back Pain Study. American Journal of Public Health 2002:92(10), pp. 1628-1633 Sticking Your Neck Out for Chiropractic

If this is your first visit to the chiropractor, here's just one example of what you've been missing: Manual therapy preserves the mobility - and money - of patients, according to a study published in the British Medical Journal. An Amsterdam research team studied 183 patients with neck pain of at least two weeks' duration. Of the patients (18-70 years of age), 60 received manual therapy, 59 received physiotherapy, and 64 received treatment from a general practitioner (GP).

A higher percentage of patients in the manual therapy group reported "complete recovery" after seven weeks than either of the other two groups:
Sixty-eight percent of the patients receiving manual therapy recovered.
Fifty-one percent of physiotherapy patients recovered.
Thirty-six percent receiving care from the GP recovered.
But that's not all: After six months, total treatment costs for patients assigned to the manual therapy group were only approximately one-third the total treatment costs of physiotherapy or general practitioner care:

Manual therapy: $402
Physiotherapy: $1,167
General practitioner care: $1,241
Left untreated, neck problems can lead to significant, long-term disability. But take some relief in knowing that by correcting this problem using chiropractic, you're receiving the best care possible - and saving money at the same time!

Reference:

Korthals-de Bos IBC, Hoving JL, van Tulder MW, et al. Cost effectiveness of physiotherapy, manual therapy, and general practitioner care for neck pain: economic evaluation alongside a randomised controlled trial. British Medical Journal, April 26, 2003: Volume 326, pp. 911. The Chiropractic Answer to Whiplash

Whiplash is an all-too-common consequence of the more than one million rear-end collisions that take place in the United States every year. Although the classic symptoms of whiplash (headache, dizziness, neck, shoulder, jaw and/or arm pain) may subside after a few weeks of appropriate care, it¹s estimated that nearly one in four cases will become chronic, resulting in long-term discomfort and disability.

Chiropractic may offer the best opportunity for relief from the pain of whiplash, according to a study published in the Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine. Ninety-three patients with chronic whiplash symptoms were divided into three groups based upon the nature and severity of their symptoms. All 93 patients received an average of 19.3 chiropractic adjustments over the study period (about four months).

Results showed that two of the three groups (patients with neck pain, restricted neck range of motion and/or neurological symptoms) improved under chiropractic care, with 85.5% reporting "some benefit," 33.5% improving by two symptom grades, and 31% being relieved of all symptoms.

If you or a loved one is suffering from whiplash, make an appointment with a doctor of chiropractic. As the authors of this study conclude, when it comes to treating whiplash,"chiropractic is the only proven effective treatment."

Reference:

Khan S, Cook J, Gargan M, et al. Asymptomatic classification of whiplash injury and the implications for treatment. Journal of Orthopaedic Medicine 1999: Vol. 21, No. 1, pp22-25.



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