They say
numbers don’t lie. With all the numbers out there about back and neck pain
costs and outcomes, we can put that to the test. Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc presents a few of the more
recent ones that are quite interesting and supportive
of our Fort Wayne chiropractic approach integrating
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 undergone conventional medical care. Of those 56,000,
60% underwent 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 guidelines for low back pain treatment, most patients were prescribed
opioids while several non-drug treatments were utilized by only a
few. (1) Another report stated that 775,893 general practitioner
visits resulted in 6,904 referrals (just 0.89%) to physiotherapy, a
non-pharmacological treatment choice for commonly
referred problems like low back pain and osteoarthritis. (2) The healthcare
costs of these patients were quite substantial. (1) Fort Wayne
back pain treatment costs are not that different.
COSTS OF BACK PAIN CARE
A review of Humana healthcare claims resulted in these findings: the pre-surgical costs
of conservative treatment options for cervical spine
radiculopathy were only 37.7% of the total 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 tests and such. (3) Fort Wayne neck and back pain patients
have an experienced chiropractor
at Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc.
INTERPROFESSIONAL REFERRAL FOR BACK PAIN CARE
New data revealed a 106% increase
in the number of physician visits for low back pain and extremity pain that led
to a referral to another physician inpart
because of unsuccessful outpatient conservative treatment.
The study that talked about 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 see
a non-operative spine specialist or primary care physician. (4)
Your Fort Wayne chiropractor at Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc is ready
to be the Fort Wayne non-surgical spine specialist this article describes
for our Fort Wayne 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 reduction in disability - at one year follow-up. (5)
Chiropractors using the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management strive
for at minimum a 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 scored
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 Fort Wayne chiropractor delivers
just such relief and understands when to refer if needed.
CONTACT Cox Chiropractic Medicine Inc
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 integration for relieving
post-surgical continued back pain.
Make your Fort Wayne chiropractic
appointment today. Do not let numbers worry
you. Let them lead you down the path to pain relief. See
you soon!