Benefits of Chiropractic Care over Opioids

 This is a short video from the Illinois Chiropractic Society on the benefits of chiropractic care over opioids.

CHIROPRACTIC SAVES (OPIOID CRISIS)

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

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

Spinal Manipulative Therapy Far Safer than Opioids for Chronic Low Back Pain

New study from the April edition of the prestigious Spine Journal finds spinal manipulation (adjustments) significantly safer than opioids for treating chronic low back pain. Patients who received spinal manipulation first were 42 times less likely to experience an adverse drug reaction than patients who were first prescribed opioid drugs.

 Foundation for Chiropractic ProgressApplaudsSpineStudy Showing Spinal Manipulative Therapy FarSafer than Opioids for Chronic Low Back Pain

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

The Nordic Maintenance Care program

These results from the recently published Nordic Maintenance Care study showed that patients that received regular chiropractic maintenance care had less days with bothersome low back pain over 52 weeks pain than patients who were just treated when they had pain episodes.
The Nordic Maintenance Care program

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

U.S. Physician Recommendations to Their Patients About the Use of Complementary Health Approaches

The National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey showed that spinal/ osteopathic manipulation was the was the most common recommended complementary health approach by family and other primary physicians.
Would you be surprised to know that I have received patient referrals from well over 100 medical physicians of many specialities?
U.S. Physician Recommendations to Their Patients About the Use of Complementary Health Approaches

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

Cost-Efficiency and Effectiveness of Including Doctors of Chiropractic to Offer Treatment Under Medicaid: A Critical Appraisal of Missouri Inclusion of Chiropractic Under Missouri Medicaid.

This is another in what is now a long list of studies showing cost effectiveness of chiropractic care. It looked at the Missouri Medicaid system and estimated adding chiropractic care would annually save the state between $14 and $49 million dollars by providing better outcomes for reduced costs, decrease utilization of surgery, and reduced use and abuse of opioids.
Why do you think some states including Illinois do not cover chiropractic care in their Medicaid programs?
Cost-Efficiency and Effectiveness of Including Doctors of Chiropractic to Offer Treatment Under Medicaid: A Critical Appraisal of Missouri Inclusion of Chiropractic Under Missouri Medicaid.

Back pain one of leading causes of disability

It is easy for some who have never had a severe or chronic back disorder to think it is not a serious problem, maybe because back disorders do not kill anyone...well at least not directly. The reality is that low back and neck disorders are the 2nd most common cause of disability in the developed countries after ischemic heart disease, according to the Global Burden of Disease Study published in the Lancet.
Does this surprise anyone?How Back Pain Took Over the WorldB

Using chiropractors to reduce lower back pain

Here is a recent video interview of a professor from Logan Chiropractic College. He notes that the average age of the onset of back disorders is 32 and unfortunately the average age to begin chiropactic care is 47. He also mentions the recent study showing that in a chiropractic treatment group there was a 49% reduction in opioid use.
Using chiropractors to reduce lower back pain

Low back pain is number 1 cause of disability worldwide

This Annals of Rheumatic Diseases six year study looked at 117 previous studies and the health and disability data from 187 countries. Overall, out of 291 conditions studied, low back pain was at the top in terms of years lost to disability. The researchers estimate that this problem will increase in the coming decades. As such, the team warns governments and health services to take the issue more seriously than they have in the past.
Do you think this is good advice?
Low back pain is number 1 cause of disability worldwide

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

For chiropractor George Billauer, the soccer stars have aligned

Story about Dr. George Billauer who has been the team chiropractor for the US soccer team for 27 years and has also worked with professional baseball and hockey teams and professional boxers.
Do you see chiropractic care as beneficial for sports teams?
For chiropractor George Billauer, the soccer stars have aligned

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

Senate Introduces Bill to Expand Chiropractic Access to Military Retirees, National Guard

Senate Introduces Bill to Expand Chiropractic Access to Military Retirees, National Guard