We see many patients with back pain in our Redondo Beach office, and Dr. Vinick has been able to help a lot of them find relief with chiropractic. At the same time, recovering from back problems doesn't necessarily mean having to decide between chiropractic care and medical care, as many people utilize both types of care with great outcomes.
In a study published by the medical journal Spine researchers1 looked at a group of active-duty military personnel between the ages of 18 and 35 who were suffering from both acute pain and limited function due to back pain. Some of the patients engaged in treatment via standard medical therapy, while the remainder were given chiropractic treatment in addition to standard medical care, as researchers wanted to determine which group fared better.
Researchers found that the patients who got standard medical care in combination with chiropractic care scored "significantly better" than the group that got medical care alone; 73% reported positive benefits compared to just 17 percent of the medical care 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, integrating 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 alongside each other, 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, 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 people undergoing medical care.
According to the experts, the main factors that patients liked over medical treatment were "self-care advice and explanation of treatment." This isn't surprising, as chiropractors commonly spend much more time advising their patients as to how they can improve their health on their own, as well as discussing more carefully what to expect from chiropractic care.
Without a doubt, the methods associated with chiropractic are quite different than those provided with medical therapy, but a great deal of the distinction is the fact that chiropractic is a holistic approach to health and well-being. Rather than focusing on just relieving the symptoms, chiropractic involves finding the primary cause of your pain, which often results in 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 such as chiropractic care. This means fewer negative responses to medications and lasting results.
You don't have to struggle with back pain or other health issues. Give our Redondo Beach office a call today at (310) 375-4325. We'll do everything we can to help you get and remain free from back pain.
References
Dr. Mark L. Vinick is both a Chiropractor and Holistic Doctor (Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist) in private practice in Redondo Beach, CA. He has successfully treated a wide variety of conditions based on his extensive knowledge of both modern and ancient healing sciences.
