We see quite a few patients with back pain in our Overland Park, KS practice, and KC Spine and Sport has been able to help a lot of them obtain relief with chiropractic care. However, dealing with back problems doesn't necessarily mean having to decide between chiropractic care and medical therapy, as many individuals use both types of care with great outcomes.
In a study published by the medical journal Spine experts1 looked at a group of active-duty military personnel between the ages of 18 and 35 who reported both acute pain and limited function due to back pain. Some of the test subjects received treatment via standard medical care, while the rest were given chiropractic treatment as well as regular medical care, as researchers wanted to determine which group fared better.
Researchers found that the patients who got standard medical care along with chiropractic scored "significantly better" than the patients who received medical care alone; 73% reported positive benefits in comparison to just 17% of the medical care only group who reported the same amount of improvement. This was true regarding both pain and level of function at two and four weeks.
Thus, incorporating these two forms of care can greatly benefit you, the patient, offering advantages when compared to medical care alone. However, while chiropractic and medical approaches can work together, chiropractic offers some unique strengths over medical therapy.
Although it might seem as if each method plays a 50-50 role, there is one significant advantage that chiropractic has over medical treatment and that is in patient satisfaction. In fact, one bit of research done at UCLA2 that was printed in the American Journal of Public Health found that, on average, chiropractic patients are generally more satisfied with their recovery than patients undergoing medical treatment.
According to the experts, the main aspects that patients preferred over medical treatment were "self-care advice and explanation of treatment." This isn't surprising, as chiropractors commonly spend much more time advising their patients as to how they can improve their health on their own, as well as outlining more thoroughly what to expect from chiropractic care.
Certainly, the techniques associated with chiropractic are quite different than those provided with medical therapy, but a large amount of the distinction is the fact that chiropractic is a natural approach to health and wellness. Rather than focusing on only relieving the symptoms, chiropractic care means finding the root cause of your pain, which often means greater improvement as you are tackling the problem at its source.
Additionally, while medication is sometimes helpful for managing certain conditions, many health issues respond well to a natural approach like chiropractic care. This means fewer negative side effects from drugs and longer-lasting results.
You don't have to struggle with back pain or other health issues. Give our Overland Park, KS office a call today at (913) 766-0054. We'll do our best to help you get and continue to be free from back pain.
References
Dr. John McNeely holds a Bachelor's in Organismal Biology and a Doctorate of Chiropractic, with extensive training in various therapeutic techniques. After practicing in Europe and specializing in athletic rehab in Arizona, he founded KC Spine and Sport in Kansas City to provide top-level care for all.
