Minster Chiropractic Center Treats Back Pain and Neck Pain Cost and Pain-Reducing Effectively

Have you heard it said that numbers don’t lie? There are lots of numbers available in the world of back pain and neck pain statistics regarding costs and outcomes. Minster Chiropractic Center presents a few of the latest ones that are really interesting and reassuring of our Minster chiropractic approach using the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.

OPTIONS USED FOR BACK PAIN VS BACK PAIN GUIDELINE RECOMMENDATIONS

Treatment guidelines for back pain are well-published.  Are they followed? Of 100 million patient healthcare insurance claims, 56,000 had persistent low back pain. These patients were not surgical candidates and had gone through conventional medical care. Of those 56,000, 60% utilized physical therapy, 50% underwent chiropractic, 26% received steroid injections and 66% used prescribed pain meds (57% opioids, 38% muscle relaxants). Were guidelines followed? Not exactly. Contrary to low back pain treatment guidelines, most patients were given opioids while several non-drug treatments were utilized by only a few. (1) Another report stated that 775,893 general practitioner visits led to 6,904 referrals (just 0.89%) to physiotherapy, a non-pharmacological treatment option for frequently referred problems like low back pain and osteoarthritis. (2) The healthcare costs of these patients were very large. (1) Minster back pain treatment costs don’t vary that much.

COSTS OF BACK PAIN CARE

According to a review of Humana insurance claims, the pre-operative costs of conservative treatment alternatives for cervical spine radiculopathy were only 37.7% of the overall non-operative expenses for this condition. Injection costs were the greatest, coming in at $988 on average per patient. Other expenses were – in order of cost expenditure - physical therapy ($510), medications (narcotics, gabapentin, NSAIDs), bracing ($193), then chiropractic services ($193). 62% of overall costs for care of cervical radiculopathy were for diagnostic modalities.  (3) Minster neck and back pain patients have an experienced chiropractor at Minster Chiropractic Center.

INTERPROFESSIONAL REFERRAL FOR BACK PAIN CARE

Recent data revealed a 106% rise in the number of physician visits for low back pain and extremity pain that resulted in referral to another physician partly because of unsuccessful outpatient conservative treatment. The study that discussed this finding ended with the suggestion that patients who are most likely to need surgery would be referred to as their first subspeciality, a surgeon. Additionally, patients who are less likely to need surgery would meet with a non-surgical spine specialist or primary care physician. (4) Your Minster chiropractor at Minster Chiropractic Center is well-prepared to be the Minster non-surgical spine specialist this article suggests for our Minster low back pain and neck pain and arm pain and leg pain sufferers!

CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF TREATMENT

Of 609 patients with sciatica and back-related leg pain visiting primary care physicians, only 55% reported ‘improvement’ – just 30% or more decrease in disability - at one year follow-up. (5) Chiropractors using the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management seek at least 50% decrease of pain non-surgically in 30 days. In a 1000 cases study of Cox® Technic treatment outcomes, leg pain radicular patients improved significantly more with Cox® Technic flexion distraction therapy than with physical therapy. (6) In a study of post-surgical continued back pain patients, 81% of them reported greater than 50% relief of pain in 11 visits in 49 days (mean). At two your follow-up, 78.6% of them still had greater than 50% relief of pain. Mean relief of pain was continued: 71.6% at the end of active care and 70% at 2-year follow-up. (7) Your Minster chiropractor provides just such relief and understands when to refer if needed.

CONTACT Minster Chiropractic Center

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Byron Folwell on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he illustrates The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management incorporation for relieving post-surgical continued back pain.

Schedule your Minster chiropractic appointment soon. Don’t let numbers scare you. Let them lead you down the path to pain relief. See you soon!