Benefit To Seeking Chiropractic Care Alongside Medical Care Vs. Just Medical Care Alone
In a study published in 2018, researchers examined the differences in a combined medical and chiropractic approach to treating back pain versus that of solely receiving medical care by itself. The study was performed using active duty US service members and included 750 participants aged 18 to 50 years and experiencing low back pain of a musculoskeletal source.
The study found a significant benefit to seeking both medical and chiropractic care in tandem to get the most optimal improvement in the condition. There was a moderate short-term improvement in low back pain intensity and disability, as well as perceived improvement and decreased self-reported pain medication use reported by the participants when compared to the control group who received only medical care.
This study effectively showed the importance of seeking out chiropractic care when experiencing low back pain, or back pain of any kind for that matter. While generally effective, the medical care plan for back pain does not actually fix the root cause of the pain, while chiropractic care aims to treat the mechanical dysfunctions that are causing or contributing to the pain and disability. Think of it this way; what medication, pill, injection, or cream is going to get bones that are stuck to start moving again? Those medical solutions may be necessary at times to help decrease pain or muscle spasm, but in order to really improve spinal mobility you have to free up the restricted segments with chiropractic adjustments. The added benefit of chiropractic care is that you will also decrease the need for pain medication and greatly reduce the risk of needing surgery. So, while chiropractic care may seem expensive for anyone whose insurance either doesn’t cover it or only covers a small portion, it is an investment in your future health which can save you a lot of money in medical expenses down the road. For these reasons, the chiropractic approach should definitely be implemented into the treatment of your back or neck pain if you wish to see the best results!
Reference:
Goertz CM, Long CR, Vining RD et al. Effect of usual medical care plus chiropractic care vs usual medical care alone on pain and disability among US service members with low back pain. JAMA Netw Open. 2018 May; 1(1) e 180105 [PubMed]
— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —
For more information on the author, visit:
For more information on chiropractic care and how it can help you, visit:
