We see quite a few back pain patients in our Philadelphia practice, and Bridesburg Spine and Injury Clinic has been able to help many of them get relief through various chiropractic techniques. At the same time, dealing with back pain doesn't necessarily mean having to make a choice between chiropractic care and medical treatment, 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 discomfort and limited function due to back-related issues. Some of the study participants received treatment via standard medical care, while the remainder received chiropractic adjustments along with standard medical care, as the authors wanted to see which patients fared better.
Researchers found that the patients who got standard medical care along with chiropractic scored "significantly better" than the patients who got medical care alone; 73% reported positive benefits in comparison to just 17 percent 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.
Therefore, incorporating these two forms of care can greatly benefit you--the patient--offering advantages when compared to medical care alone. However, while chiropractic and medical approaches can work alongside each other, chiropractic offers some distinct strengths over medical treatment.
Although it may seem as if each approach plays a 50-50 role, there is one significant advantage that chiropractic has over medical treatment and that is in patient satisfaction. In fact, one bit of research done 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 people undergoing medical care.
According to the experts, the main aspects that patients preferred over medical treatment were "self-care advice and explanation of treatment." This isn't unexpected, as chiropractors tend to spend much more time advising their patients as to how they can improve their health on their own, as well as explaining more thoroughly what to expect from chiropractic.
Certainly, the techniques associated with chiropractic are very different than those offered with medical therapy, but a great deal of the difference is the fact that chiropractic is a natural approach to health and well-being. Rather than focusing on just relieving the symptoms, chiropractic care means searching for the root cause of your pain, which often means greater improvement as you are addressing the problem at its source.
In addition, while medication is sometimes helpful for managing certain conditions, many health issues respond well to natural forms of treatment like chiropractic. This means fewer negative responses to prescriptions and lasting recovery.
You don't have to endure back pain or other health issues. Give our Philadelphia office a call today at (215) 743-5330. We'll do our best to help you get and continue to be free from back pain.
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Dr. Anthony Calantoni is a chiropractic physician serving Philadelphia and the surrounding communities of Bridesburg, Port Richmond, Fishtown, Kensington, Mayfair, Tacony, Frankford, and Juniata. Bridesburg Spine and Injury Clinic is a State of the Art facility located in the Bridesburg section of Philadelphia. The office is dedicated to to the application of modern day physical medicine targeting your unique needs, whether you are suffering from excruciating back pain, neck pain, headaches, or even just plain old muscular tightness and discomfort. The office specializes in all types of injuries including Sports, Motor Vehicle , and Work Related.
