We see quite a few patients with back pain in our Harrisburg practice, and Blake Chiropractic & Rehabilitation has been able to help a lot of them find relief through various chiropractic techniques. At the same time, recovering from back pain doesn't necessarily mean having to decide between chiropractic care and medical therapy, as many people utilize both types of care with great results.
In a study published by the medical journal Spine investigators1 looked at a group of active-duty military personnel between the ages of 18 and 35 who were suffering from both acute soreness and restricted function due to back pain. Some of the patients engaged in treatment via standard medical therapy, while the remainder were given chiropractic care along with standard medical care, as researchers wanted to determine which group fared better.
The authors observed that the group that got standard medical care in combination with chiropractic care scored "significantly better" than the patients who received medical care alone; 73% reported positive benefits in comparison to just 17% of the medical care only group who indicated the same amount of improvement. This was true regarding both pain and level of function at two and four weeks.
Accordingly, incorporating these two forms of care can greatly benefit you--the patient--offering benefits when compared to medical care alone. However, while chiropractic care and medicine can work alongside each other, chiropractic offers some distinct advantages over medical treatment.
Although it may seem as if each approach plays a 50-50 role, there is one major benefit that chiropractic has over medical treatment and that is in patient satisfaction. In fact, a study from 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 researchers, the main aspects that patients liked over medical care were "self-care advice and explanation of treatment." This isn't unexpected, as chiropractors tend to spend much more time consulting with their patients as to how they can better their health on their own, as well as outlining more carefully what to expect from chiropractic care.
Without a doubt, the techniques associated with chiropractic are quite different than those available with medical care, but a large amount of the difference is the fact that chiropractic is a natural approach to health and wellness. Instead of focusing on just relieving the symptoms, chiropractic care involves searching for the root cause of your pain, which often means greater improvement as you are tackling the problem at its source.
Furthermore, while medication is sometimes helpful for treating certain conditions, many health issues respond well to a natural approach like chiropractic. This means fewer negative responses to drugs and lasting results.
You don't have to endure back pain or other health issues. Give our Harrisburg clinic a call today at (717) 657-2561. We'll do our best to help you get and stay free from back pain.
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