The Choice of Chiropractic Care First for
Back Pain: Fewer Prescriptions for Gabapentin, Less Pain and Healthcare
Use
Back pain is challenging. Its sufferers want
relief. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if
a pill would deliver it?! Many back pain sufferers enter
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 customary, we chiropractors recognize
that we need to be well-trained to identify patients who
may deal with 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 is an influential factor in patients’ utilization of healthcare services. An assessment of 29,806 patient cases that looked at the year following
the first visit for back pain found that utilization of healthcare services
was less for those who decided on chiropractic care first. The highest
health care utilization was noted for those who went to
the emergency room as their first healthcare visit
for back pain relief. (2) Another study noted that for
patients under age 50 who are suffering 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 underwent chiropractic spinal manipulative care than those who used
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
Ashburn chiropractor at Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn is poised to
help our Ashburn 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 tense,
and movement is altered. Remember: Everything is connected! Researchers who evaluated
hip rotation range of motion in participants who experienced
back pain and those who did not 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 one new study. (5) Another study touted
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) Let’s check your hip flexibility out at
your next Ashburn chiropractic appointment and plan a way to maximize
it!
CONTACT Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn
Schedule your next Ashburn
chiropractic visit with Poulin Chiropractic of Herndon and Ashburn 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."