A new study, “Aging baby boomers and the rising cost of chronic back pain: secular trend analysis of longitudinal Medical Expenditures Panel Survey (MEPS) data for years 2000 to 2007,” (J Manipulative Physiol Ther.; 1.1.2013), concludes that the prevalence of back pain and costs associated with existing treatment patterns have and will continue to escalate — in part due to an aging population. According to Dr. Andrew Cohen, San Francisco Sports Chiropractor, seeing a chiropractor can provide quicker relief at a lower cost than other treatment efforts.
Spinal manipulation has been found to be significantly better than non-steroidal anti- inflammatory drug diclofenac and clinically superior to placebo for patients with acute non-specific low back pain. “Visiting a chiropractor first for spinal complaints is the preferred approach considering it has lower side effects and higher satisfaction rates, according to Dr. Cohen. Also, visiting a chiropractor first tends to cut the likelihood of surgery.
The JMPT analysis conducted by researchers out of the National University of Health Sciences, found no indication of a decline in regards to the number of chronic back pain incidents and costs coupled with current treatment patterns. The conclusion demonstrates the strong need for better organization of healthcare spending and traditional treatment standards.
Chiropractic has been shown to address the key elements of the findings: effective relief at a cost savings when compared to other treatment approaches.