Choosing Chiropractic Care First for
Back Pain: Fewer Prescriptions for Gabapentin, Less Pain and Healthcare
Use
Back pain is disruptive. Its sufferers want
relief. Would it not be amazing if
a pill would deliver it?! Many back pain sufferers step into
the back pain relief medical system and are prescribed
meds first. They take them in hopes that they’ll get relief. (Because this is so common, we chiropractors recognize
that we need to be well-trained in identifying patients who
may deal with a substance use issue and know how to
help if the use is an issue. (1)) Recent research states
that the first-choice healthcare provider makes a
difference in patients’ utilization of healthcare services. A
review 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 noted for those who visited
the emergency room as their first healthcare visit
for back pain relief. (2) Another study shared that for
patients under age 50 who are experiencing low back pain, two common
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 less for those
who used chiropractic spinal manipulative care than those who underwent
usual medical care. (3) Your chiropractor recognizes the value
of interdisciplinary care and communicates with healthcare
colleagues for the benefit of our back pain patients whenever possible and the value
of provider choice in terms of relief and care. Your
Sitka chiropractor at Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is confident to
help our Sitka 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 variety of 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 tense,
and movement is altered. Remember: Everything is linked! Researchers who compared
hip rotation range of motion in participants who reported
back pain and those who didn’t found that those with low back
pain had extremely restricted hip lateral
rotation range of motion. (4) Luckily, there are methods to improve
hip flexibility. One new method is auricular acupressure. What is
that? Ask at your next appointment, but it enhanced hip
flexibility (and back pain!) in a new study. (5) Another study hyped
the benefit of core stability exercise and hip muscle stretching as effective
at enhancing physical function and activity in non-specific low
back pain patients. (6) We can check your hip flexibility out at
your next Sitka chiropractic appointment and plan a way to maximize
it!
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
Schedule your next Sitka
chiropractic appointment with Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka soon. We look forward to seeing 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."