They say
numbers don’t lie. With all the numbers out there about back and neck pain
costs and outcomes, we can put that to the test. Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center presents a few of the latest ones that are really interesting and supportive
of our Pensacola chiropractic approach integrating
the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management.
OPTIONS USED FOR BACK PAIN VS BACK PAIN GUIDELINE
RECOMMENDATIONS
Treatment guidelines for back pain are well-established. Are they followed? Of 100 million patient
healthcare insurance claims, 56,000 had persistent low back
pain. These patients were not surgical candidates and had gone
through conventional medical care. Of those 56,000,
60% underwent physical therapy, 50% experienced
chiropractic, 26% got steroid injections and 66% took
prescribed pain meds (57% opioids, 38% muscle relaxants). Were guidelines followed? Not exactly. Contrary to low
back pain treatment guidelines, most patients were given
opioids while several non-drug treatments were used by only a
few. (1) Another report stated that 775,893 general practitioner
visits led to 6,904 referrals (just 0.89%) to physiotherapy, a
non-drug treatment option for frequently
referred problems like low back pain and osteoarthritis. (2) The healthcare
costs of these patients were quite large. (1) Pensacola
back pain treatment costs are not that different.
COSTS OF BACK PAIN CARE
A review of Humana healthcare claims resulted in these findings: the pre-operative costs
of conservative treatment options for cervical spine
radiculopathy were just 37.7% of the overall non-surgical
expenses for this condition. Injection costs were the greatest,
coming in at $988 on average per patient. Other costs
were – in order of cost expenditure - physical therapy ($510), medications (narcotics,
gabapentin, NSAIDs), bracing ($193), and chiropractic services
($193). 62% of overall costs for care of cervical radiculopathy went
to diagnostic tests and such. (3) Pensacola neck and back pain sufferers
have an experienced chiropractor
at Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center.
INTERPROFESSIONAL REFERRAL FOR BACK PAIN CARE
Recent data revealed a 106% rise
in the number of physician visits for low back pain and extremity pain that led
to a referral to another physician inpart
because of ineffective outpatient conservative treatment.
The study that presented this finding ended
with the suggestion that patients who are most likely to need surgery would meet with a surgeon
as their first subspecialty referral visit. Further,
patients who are less likely to require surgery would meet with
a non-surgical spine specialist or primary care physician. (4)
Your Pensacola chiropractor at Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center is ready
to be the Pensacola non-surgical spine specialist this article suggests
for our Pensacola low back pain and neck pain and arm pain and leg pain
sufferers!
CLINICAL OUTCOMES OF TREATMENT
Of 609 patients with sciatica and back-related leg pain
visiting primary care physicians, only 55% reported ‘improvement’
– just 30% or more decrease in disability - at one year follow-up. (5)
Chiropractors using the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management seek at minimum a 50% decrease of pain non-surgically
in 30 days. In a 1000 cases study of Cox® Technic treatment
outcomes, leg pain radicular patients improved significantly better
with Cox® Technic flexion distraction therapy than with physical therapy. (6)
In a study of post-surgical continued back pain patients, 81% of them scored
greater than 50% relief of pain in 11 visits in 49 days (mean). At two your
follow-up, 78.6% of them still had more than 50% relief of pain.
Mean relief of pain was continued: 71.6% at the end of active
care and 70% at 2-year follow-up. (7) Your Pensacola chiropractor provides
just such relief and understands when to refer if needed.
CONTACT Pensacola Spinal Rehab Center
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Byron Folwell on The Back Doctors Podcast with
Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes The Cox® Technic
System of Spinal Pain Management incorporation for reducing
post-surgical continued back pain.
Schedule your Pensacola chiropractic
appointment soon. Do not let numbers worry
you. Let them lead you down the path to pain relief. See
you soon!