Chiropractic care has been repeatedly shown to be cost-effective in relieving back pain. There are numerous studies detailing this benefit. This article will discuss the cost analysis of chiropractic treatment for low back pain relief and present a recent research study confirming the benefits gained.
Many Americans suffer from lower back discomfort. Some conditions are new and this is called an acute condition. Acute conditions can be considered any problem that exists less than three months. If the condition persists for more than three months, it is called a chronic condition.
It has been shown through research that misalignment or improper movement of the spinal vertebrae can cause irritation to the joints and nerves of the spine and cause back discomfort. If a person has an initial episode of acute back pain, the symptoms may disappear in a short time, but the underlying structural alignment or movement abnormality still exists. Many people have several or more of these acute episodes. Multiple episodes of acute back discomfort, without correction of the underlying abnormality, can lead to a person having chronic back problems. These chronic back pain can become constant, a source of ongoing pain, and affect activities of daily living.
Chronic back pain is an epidemic in the United States. Because of this, many studies have been done on which treatment gives the best results at the lowest cost. Numerous studies show that chiropractic care addresses the specific cause of most cases of low back pain. Chiropractic treatment involves the use of manipulation to correct misaligned and improperly moving spinal vertebrae. This type of care has been shown to be more effective than others for back conditions. Surgery, medications, exercise, and other forms of treatment do not have the efficacy and benefits for back problems that chiropractic care provides.
A recent research study, published in the Journal of Chiropractic Humanities, December 2019, set out to critically evaluate the benefits of adding chiropractic care under Missouri Medicaid. Based on calculations, the researchers determined that there would be a cost savings to the state of Missouri of between $ 14.1 and $ 49.2 million per year once chiropractic care is included in Medicaid. More specifically, the study found that chiropractic care provides better results at lower cost, leads to a reduction in the cost of spinal surgery, and leads to Cost savings due to reduced prescription opioid use and abuse..
Over the past decades, there have been many other studies that show that chiropractic care provides pain relief for conditions of the neck spine, mid-back, lower back, and headaches. It is advisable for legislators to include chiropractic care in insurance plans to relieve spinal pain.
