Signs Point to Greater Access to Chiropractic for Service Members, Civilian Beneficiaries

 The Department of Defense has conducted several demonstration projects designed to examine the cost and feasibility of chiropractic healthcare services for its beneficiaries. The results of these projects have concluded that it is feasible to implement chiropractic services as part of the military health care benefit, and the resulting patient satisfaction is higher than that seen with traditional medical care. 

Signs Point to Greater Access to Chiropractic for Service Members, Civilian Beneficiaries

Chiropractic Health Care month in Illinois

 October, 2021 has been designated as Chiropractic Health Care Month in Illinois. Every year two million Illinois residents visit chiropractic practices. 

LEGISLATION PASSED ADDING CHIROPRACTIC TO MEDICAID

 Illinois coverage for chiropractic care was discontinued eight years ago. Recently a bill containing a provision to re-instate chiropractic coverage to Illinois the Illinois Medicaid program as been passed and is expected to be signed by the governor. A plan will now be formulated by the Health and Family Services to be sent for federal approval.

LEGISLATION PASSED ADDING CHIROPRACTIC TO MEDICAID

Muscle Relaxants vs. Manipulations for LBP

 Newer better studies show that relaxant drugs have no good evidence of effectiveness for low back pain, while having possible significant

adverse effects especially for people operating machinery. Multiple clinical trials have found that skeletal muscle relaxants are associated with 50 percent more total adverse events and 104 percent more central nervous system adverse events than placebo.

A recent randomized controlled trial showed that spinal manipulation as commonly practiced by doctors of chiropractic had significantly more effect on pain reduction that muscle relaxants or placebo.

Muscle Relaxants vs. Manipulations for LBP

About the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) project

The WHO in collaboration with several research organizations including Harvard and John Hopkins have published a series of studies showing that musculoskeletal disorders are the number-one cause of disability worldwide with low back disorders #1 and neck disorders #4.
These studies provide indisputable evidence that musculoskeletal conditions are an enormous problem in all parts of the world and need to be given the same priority for policy and resources as other major conditions like cancer, mental health and cardiovascular disease.

 https://www.who.int/healthinfo/global_burden_disease/about/en/?fbclid=IwAR2qIAYqGVNtJL2D3A_bRHGJgHYCYm85SsvvwC33l1jFMYAt8bu9So5JBkI

Chiropractic Care Significantly Reduces Risk of Opioid Prescribing

Study from the March issue of Pain Medicine Journal using claim data from three states found that patients with spinal pain who saw a chiropractor had half the risk of filling an opioid prescription.
Impact of Chiropractic Care on Use of Prescription Opioids in Patients with Spinal Pain

More Payers Backing Chiropractic Care in 2020

This article from a website for the managed care industry states that many insurance plans including the military plan Tricare will be increasing coverage for chiropractic care after many studies now showing it reduces costs, reduces surgeries, and reduces opioid prescriptions.
Are you so surprised that this has taken so long?
Chiropractic care is becoming a method more recognized as a way to better treat patients and avoid pharmacological pain management methods.

More Payers Backing Chiropractic Care in 2020

Physical Therapy, Chiropractic Back Care Cut Opioid Use, Costs

A recent study in Journal of the American Medical Association Network Open concluded that adding increased chiropractic and physical therapy coverage and other non drug services to insurance plans gave better outcomes, decreased costs, and reduced opioid use.

Physical Therapy, Chiropractic Back Care Cut Opioid Use, Costs

9 Risk Factors for Developing Sciatica

I have had many patients with more severe sciatica (leg pain from a pinched nerve in the low back) tell me with a straiight face they wished someone would cut their leg off! It can be more severe than back pain because it is a form of nerve pain.
You can decrease your risk of sciatica by working on the nine factors discussed in this article.

9 Risk Factors for Developing Sciatica

The problem with MRIs for low back pain

It seems to make sense that more medical testing gives better results, yet studies have shown that imaging for low back pain does not improve one’s pain, function, or quality of life. One of the big negatives with imaging is that there is a high amount of false negatives, which are incidental findings that do not cause symptoms, and this many times leads to unneeded further testing and failed treatments including surgeries.
So it is counter-intuitive but sometimes less testing is better.
The problem with MRIs for low back pain

VA Study Finds Chiropractic Linked to Lower Opiate Usage

A recent Veteran's Administration study published in the Pain Medicine Journal found that veterans who received chiropractic treatment had a significantly lower usage of opiates after their chiropractic visits compared to non-chiropractic patients.
Opioids can sometimes be beneficial, but in some cases other treatments can be more appropriate. Do you think it would be beneficial to get veterans better access to chiropractic and other non drug treatments?

VA Study Finds Chiropractic Linked to Lower Opiate Usage

Medicare: Patient Access to Chiropractic

Medicare has always only had partial coverage for chiropractic services. Last week a bipartisan bill was been introduced in the House of Representatives named The Chiropractic Medicare Coverage Modernization Act of 2019 (H.R. 3654), and it would allow Medicare beneficiaries access to all of the chiropractic profession’s non-drug approaches to pain management.
If you think this would be beneficial for Medicare beneficiaries, please follow the link below to send a letter of support to your representative.
https://www.acatoday.org/…/Legi…/Medicare/HR3654-Take-Action

To Combat Opioids, Missouri Medicaid Opens Access to Chiropractic

Missouri has announced that access to chiropractic services and other non-drug pain treatments will now be made available in the state's Medicaid program to help diminish the use of opioids and provide relief for those suffering from chronic pain. 
Illinois cut out coverage of chiropractic services a number of years ago. Do you think it might be a good idea to reinstate chiropractic coverage here in Illinois?To Combat Opioids, Missouri Medicaid Opens Access to Chiropractic

Maintaining Mobility as we Age A Key to Aging Successfully

I have been talking to patients about the importance of mobility for the last 28 years. Glad to see it getting to the mainstream. Here is an animated presentation by a chiropractic professor on the importance of mobility as we age.
Are you staying mobile?
Maintaining Mobility as we Age A Key to Aging Successfully

A New Prescription for Back Pain

Chiropractic is a profession, not a treatment. Although it is most known for spinal manipulation (adjustments), most doctors of chiropractic (DC's) use a variety of treatments including soft tissue manipulation, mobilization, exercise therapy, and sometimes multidisiplinary rehabiliation.

A New Prescription for Back Pain

Preventing Muscle Loss Among the Elderly

Sarcopenia is the fancy medical name for loss of muscle fibers. Sarcopenia is one of the most important causes of functional decline and loss of independence in older adults.The good news from current research is that the loss of strength can be greatly slowed down or reversed by increasing the size of the individual muscle fibers by exersice! I am board certified in rehabilitation and show exercises to many of my patients. 
Has anyone gained back lost muscle strength?
Preventing Muscle Loss Among the Elderly

Spinal Manipulation Plus Exercise Effective for Teen Low Back Pain

A new study published in the July issue of the PAIN Journal showed that twelve weeks of spinal manipulative therapy (adjustments) combined with exercise therapy is more effective than exercise therapy alone over a one-year period for adolescents with chronic low back pain. 
Does this surpise anyone?
Spinal Manipulation Plus Exercise Effective for Teen Low Back Pain

Do I Have To Keep Going To The Chiropractor?

One of the complaints you will often hear about chiropractors sounds like this, “Once you go, you always have to go.” The ironic thing is that it’s more common to hear that complaint from someone who has never actually gone to a chiropractor instead of someone who has.
If you talk to someone who goes to or has gone to a chiropractor, they will tell you the statement “Once you go, you always have to go” is simply untrue.
Have you ever heard this urban legend?
Do I Have To Keep Going To The Chiropractor?

The Illness Is Bad Enough. The Hospital May Be Even Worse

The elderly are particularly vulnerable to “post-hospital syndrome,” in which areas of their health deteriorate after the inactivity and stress of hospital stays. One of the benefits of chiropractic care, as shown in several studies, is its ability to keep some patients form hospital stays, thus reducing the amount of post-hospital syndrome. 
Has anyone experienced any adverse effects from a hospital stay?
The Illness Is Bad Enough. The Hospital May Be Even Worse

Do Epidural Steroid Injections Help Lower Back Pain?

This is a recent review study from the Annals of Internal Medicine of 30 previous epidural steroid injection studies. It showed only mild temporay benefit overall and no benefit for spinal stenosis (narrowing of the spine).“ESIs are high cost, low value health care,” said Terri Lewis, Ph.D, who is an expert of rehabilitation medicine.
Do you think it would be rational to use more conservative treatments for these patients such as chiropractic and/or physical therapy?

http://nationalpainreport.com/do-epidural-steroid-injections-help-lower-back-pain-8827256.html