Avoid Surgery with Chiropractic Care
If you’re suffering from back pain, you want relief as soon as possible. You also don’t want your treatment to become a costly and complicated experience. When looking at treatment options, patients often weigh having surgery against a more conservative non-surgical care plan. Surgery can certainly be costly, but you might be surprised to learn that avoiding surgery can be effective in easing back pain over the long haul, while also saving you money. Total Chiropractic Care and Wellness wants you to know that understanding these options and how they can affect your health and your wallet can ease some of the frustration and help you make the right choice.
Back Pain Can Recur After Surgery
Even without factoring in the final costs related to treatment, there can be complications following surgery. In 2009, the Congress of Neurological Surgeons published a study in their official journal that examined the results patients encountered after having an operation to remove a herniated disc. They followed up with 141 patients and found that 12 percent of them suffered a recurrence of the problem after the operation. (The median recurrence for another herniated disc was eight months after the initial operation.)
Seven percent of the patients ended up having more surgery, while nearly four percent of the patients responded to what’s known as “conservative therapy.” This is non-surgical back treatment, which can include manual therapy.
The Surgical Option is More Costly
With more than 10 percent of patients not responding to the initial surgery, the researchers then turned their attention to the costs involved. They found that the average cost of treatment for all 12 percent of the patients who suffered a recurrence following their initial surgery was just under $27,000 total for the second diagnosis and continued treatment. When you compared the costs for those who underwent another surgical procedure against those who received conservative treatment there was a big difference. The average cost for patients who underwent a second surgical procedure was a bit less than $40,000, while the average cost for those who responded to conservative treatment was only about $2,300.
Given the number of recurrences and the substantial costs of surgery, the researchers recommended that non-surgical, prolonged conservative management be the first line of defense in treating a herniated disc.
Non-Surgical Chiropractic Care is a Cost-Effective Option for Back Pain
Further studies have shown that the type of manual care performed by chiropractic doctors are the most cost effective way of treating back pain, according to the American Chiropractic Association (ACA). One study published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics showed that treatment for back pain initiated through a chiropractic doctor saves 40 percent on health costs as opposed to treatment by an MD, the ACA says.
If you are looking to explore nonsurgical treatment for pain management on Long Island for your back pain, call Dr. Todd Goldman of Total Chiropractic Care at (631) 447-2299. Dr. Goldman’s practice offers cost effective and non-invasive treatment for your back pain and pain management.
He’ll conduct a full examination and help you determine the most effective and most affordable plan for your needs. Contact us today!
Please note that the author of this piece is not a doctor and the information in this material is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your doctor or medical professional for specific information regarding your individual situation.
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