Chiropractic care has repeatedly been shown to be cost-effective in giving back pain relief. There are numerous studies detailing this benefit. This article will discuss cost analysis of chiropractic treatment for lower back pain relief and will introduce a recent research study confirming benefits gained.
Many Americans suffer from low 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 exists more than three months, it is called a chronic condition.
It has been shown, through research, that a misalignment or improperly moving vertebrae of the spine can cause irritation to the spinal joints and nerves and cause back discomfort. If a person has an initial episode of acute back pain, symptoms may resolve within a short time, but the underlying structural alignment or movement abnormality still exists. Many people have several or more of these acute episodes. Multiple acute back discomfort episodes, without correction of the underlying abnormality, can lead to a person having chronic back problems. These chronic back aches can become constant, a source of ongoing pain and affect one’s activities of daily living.
Chronic back discomfort is epidemic in the United States. Because of this much study has gone into what treatment gives the best results for the least 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 effectiveness 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 computations investigators determined that there would be a cost-saving to the state of Missouri of between $14.1 and $49.2 million per year once chiropractic care is included under Medicaid. More specifically, the study found that chiropractic care provides better outcomes at lower cost, leads to a reduction in cost of spinal surgery and leads to cost savings from reduced use and abuse of opioid prescriptions.
Over the past several decades there have been numerous other studies showing that chiropractic care provides pain relief for spinal conditions of the neck, mid back, low back and headaches. It is wise for policymakers to include chiropractic care under insurance plans for pain relief of the spine.