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Comparison of Outcomes for DC vs MD as first doctor seen

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics; Sept 2015

Key Findings:

Spinal, hip, and shoulder pain patients had clinically similar pain relief, greater satisfaction levels, and lower overall cost if they initiated care with DCs, when compared with those who initiated care with MDs.

 

Chiropractic visit linked to lower risk of injury vs PCP assessment

Spine Journal; February 15, 2015

Key Findings: 

"Among Medicare beneficiaries aged 66 to 99 years with an office visit for a neuromusculoskeletal problem, risk of injury to the head, neck, or trunk within seven days was 76 percent lower among subjects with a chiropractic office visit than among those who saw a primary care physician."

 

JAMA Suggests Chiropractic For Low Back Pain

Journal of the American Medical Association; April 24, 2013

Key Findings:

Although this is not actually a scientific study, it is a landmark publication from the medical association that spent decades trying to eliminate the profession of chiropractic! The article states that surgery is not usually needed and should only be considered if more conservative therapies fail. The JAMA article reinforces the American Chiropractic Association’s (ACA) position that conservative care options should serve as a first line of defense against pain.  

 

Risk of Stroke after Chiropractic Equal to Risk after Medical Visit

European Spine Journal; Feb 29, 2008

Key Findings:

There was no evidence of excess risk of vertebro-basilar artery (VBA) stroke associated chiropractic care compared to primary care. The increased risks of VBA stroke associated with chiropractic and PCP visits is likely due to patients with headache and neck pain from VBA dissection seeking care before their stroke. VBA stroke is a very rare event. 

 

Chiropractic Benefits Post-Surgical Low Back Cases

Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics; July/Aug 2011

Key Findings:

Patients who continued to have pain after lower spine surgery and received chiropractic management experienced marked improvement in their symptoms. Using the Numeric Pain Scale (NPS),mean pretreatment pain scores of 6.4 were reduced to an average of 2.3. The typical improvement in reported pain was 4.1 out of 10.

 

Chiropractic Patients Less Likely to Undergo Lumbar Surgery

Spine; Dec. 12, 2012

Key Findings:

Patients whose first provider was a chiropractic physician had reduced odds of lumbar spine surgery. There was a strong association between chiropractic care and less low back surgery. 

Approximately 43 percent of patients who saw a surgeon first had surgery.

Only 1.5 percent of those who saw a chiropractic physician first ended up having surgery.

 

Complimentary & Alternative Medicine Costs are Lower

Medical Care; Dec. 2012 

Key Findings:

Adjusted annual medical costs among complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) users was $424 lower for spine-related costs, and $796 lower for total health care cost than among non-CAM users. Furthermore, CAM treatments were cost neutral to health care systems, meaning that CAM users did not add to the overall medical spending in a nationally representative sample of patients with neck and back problems.

 

People Worldwide Live Longer But Sicker

The Lancet; Dec. 13, 2012

Key Findings:

An international group of experts cites the need for better solutions to back pain and other musculoskeletal conditions. The massive survey indicates that while people may be living longer they are doing so more frequently with disability. 

The study identifies musculoskeletal conditions as the second leading cause of disability, and cites low-back pain as one of the major contributors to disability worldwide. Authors noted that creating effective and affordable strategies to deal with the rising burden of non-fatal health outcomes should be an urgent priority for health care providers around the world.