We see quite a few back pain patients in our Harrisburg office, and Dr. Blake has been able to help a lot of them get relief through various chiropractic techniques. At the same time, dealing with back problems doesn't necessarily mean having to decide between chiropractic care and medical care, as many individuals use both types of care with great outcomes.
In a report published by the journal Spine experts1 looked at a group of active-duty military personnel between the ages of 18 and 35 who reported both acute soreness and restricted function due to back-related issues. Some of the patients engaged in treatment via standard medical therapy, while the remainder were given chiropractic adjustments together with regular medical care, as the authors wanted to determine which patients fared better.
Researchers discovered that the patients who received standard medical care in combination with chiropractic care scored "significantly better" than the group that got medical care alone; 73 percent reported positive benefits in comparison to just 17% of the medical treatment only group who reported the same amount of improvement. This was true regarding both pain and level of function at two and four weeks.
Thus, incorporating these two forms of treatment can greatly benefit you--the patient--offering benefits when compared to medical care alone. However, while chiropractic care and medical approaches can work together, chiropractic offers some distinct strengths over medical treatment.
Although it might seem as if each approach plays a 50/50 role, there is one significant advantage that chiropractic has over medical care and that is in patient satisfaction. In fact, one bit of research conducted at UCLA2 that was printed in the American Journal of Public Health reports that, on average, chiropractic patients are generally more satisfied with their recovery than those undergoing medical treatment.
According to the experts, the main factors that patients liked over medical treatment were "self-care advice and explanation of treatment." This isn't unexpected, as chiropractors commonly spend much more time consulting with their patients as to how they can improve their health on their own, as well as outlining more thoroughly what to expect from chiropractic.
Certainly, the techniques associated with chiropractic are very different than those provided with medical therapy, but a great deal of the distinction is the fact that chiropractic is a natural approach to health and wellness. In contrast to focusing on just relieving the symptoms, chiropractic care involves searching for the root cause of your pain, which often results in greater improvement as you are tackling the problem at its source.
In addition, while medication is sometimes helpful for managing certain conditions, many health issues respond well to a natural approach like chiropractic care. This means fewer negative side effects from prescriptions and longer-lasting results.
You don't have to deal with back pain or other health problems. Give our Harrisburg clinic a call today at (717) 657-2561. We'll do everything we can to help you get and stay free from back pain.
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Trust the medical professionals at Blake Chiropractic & Rehab for all of your chiropractic needs. We have more than 26 years of experience and work to ensure your complete satisfaction. Our staff is dedicated to providing top-quality chiropractic care, so make an appointment today. We are conveniently located right off Route 22, beside the Colonial Park Fire Department, and accept most major insurance plans.
