The Future of Health Care
With all of the recent reports stressing the efficacy of complementary and
alternative medicine (CAM) therapies, it was only a matter of time before
research began exploring the role doctors of chiropractic could play as cost-effective
primary care providers (PCPs).
A paper published recently in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics (JMPT
) revealed that a managed-care network consisting of doctors of chiropractic
as PCPs provided equivalent care and saved substantial costs, compared to
care provided by medical doctors and osteopaths. The analysis found that
chiropractors were not only able to diagnose and treat patients at a level
nearly equal to medical doctors, but that those same patients were admitted
to hospitals less frequently, spent less time in hospitals for care, underwent
fewer surgeries, and used fewer pharmaceuticals than other health maintenance
organization (HMO) patients, resulting in tremendous cost savings and high
patient satisfaction.
This information serves as a glimpse
into the future of health care - a future in which doctors of chiropractic
will treat a larger range of patients using an integrative approach to medicine.
For more information on chiropractic, visit www.chiroweb.com/find.
Reference: Sarnat RL, Winterstein J. Clinical and cost outcomes of an integrative medicine IPA. JMPT June 2004;27:336-347.
|
|
|
Surgery for Back Pain? Think Again
If you or someone you know is suffering from back pain, don't rush off
to get surgery. There is considerable evidence supporting the value of
conservative, nonsurgical treatments for back pain;  further,
a study in The New England Journal of Medicine asserts that surgery
is overused for the treatment of back pain.
The study in question, which served to defined guidelines for low back
pain (LBP) treatment, states that intervention is only recommended for
back pain that persists beyond three weeks. Among the treatments
recommended to minimize the recurrence of chronic LBP were intensive
strengthening exercise and aerobic conditioning. Also, the study states
that radiography and more advanced imaging procedures (i.e., MRI) are
overused and should be considered only in cases of severe nerve pain, loss
of function, or suspicion of underlying systemic disease. And here's the
most important point: Surgery should only be considered after all
conservative methods have failed.
Among these alternatives to medical intervention, the report finds
chiropractic care to be effective and massage therapy to show promise. The
study does not recommend bedrest for chronic LBP or pain from nerve
involvement. The main recommendation, based upon this study's new
guidelines, is a rapid return to normal activities, which includes a
regular regiment of exercise to keep the back and leg muscles conditioned.
For more information, consult your doctor and access online information at
http://www.chiroweb.com/tyh/backpain.html.
Reference: Deyo R, Weinstein J, et al. Low back
pain. The New England Journal of Medicine 2001:344(5), pp363-369.
OH NO!! Will Manipulation
Really Cause a Stroke?
A recent media report has put the scare on patients to visit
chiropractors for fear of stroke. This report was based on a study
that reviewed 64 medical legal cases involving cerebrovascular ischemic
events occurring after cervical spin manipulation. It turns out that in
fact 25% of these cases initially presented to the chiropractor with symptoms associated
with cerebral artery dissection already in progress. If
fact one reported case did not even have manipulation actually
performed. The authors found no significant pattern relating stroke
to the number of manipulations and concluded that they randomly occur and
are unpredictable complications of any neck movement including
manipulation. Therefore they could occur at any point in the treatment
course as well as with activities of daily living.
Head Toward Alternative
Medicine
Many people suffer from chronic headache pain, despite a wide variety
of treatment options. Those who find relief through drugs often must deal
with negative side effects. Complementary and  alternative
medicines, or CAM therapies, are increasingly being considered by those
who cannot find symptom relief elsewhere.
Seventy-three severe headache patients at an outpatient head/neck pain
clinic in New York were recently interviewed about their knowledge, use,
and opinions about CAM. Researchers found that 85% of the patients used
some form of alternative therapy for their headaches, and 60% claimed the
therapies benefited their pain. Nearly 90% of the sufferers thought some
form of CAM treatment would be effective for headache pain. The following
represent some of the most-used CAM therapies for headache, based on
patient response:
- massage (42%);
- exercise (30%);
- acupuncture (19%);
- chiropractic (15%); and
- herbs (15%).
If you suffer from headaches or other conditions that don't respond
adequately to standard medical care, consider some form of CAM therapy. Be
careful, however, as not all forms of alternative therapy are proven safe
or effective. Research any form of treatment before you consider using it,
and ask your doctor of chiropractic about its validity. The Multimed
Center offers all the above alternative methods of care in a coordinated
fashion.
Reference: Von Peter S, Ting W, Scrivani S, et
al. Survey on the use of complementary and alternative medicine among
patients with headache syndromes. Cephalagia 2002:22, pp. 395-400.
|
