Aching Back?  Consult a Chiropractor

Julian Whitaker, MD

A few weeks ago I had a severe pain in the middle of my back. I get this from time to time, usually after jogging or other exercise. When I turned my head to the right, it hurt more. Rather than even consult a medical doctor, I immediately went to my chiropractor. I was adjusted—click-clack went my joints—and I felt instant, but not complete relief. I went back for a second adjustment the next day. Two days after that the pain was gone.

Evidence Supports Chiropractic Care

Chiropractors get a bum rap from the medical profession. Yet when it comes to common back pain with mild neurological symptoms, chiropractic care stands head and shoulders above anything an orthopedist or neurologist has to offer. A two-year British study found that chiropractic was significantly more effective and economical than outpatient management of patients with chronic or severe back pain. The study concluded that if chiropractic care were used instead of medical treatment, it would save the United Kingdom more $30 million per year!

In the United States, researchers at the College of William and Mary and the Medical College of Virginia reported that health insurance coverage of chiropractic care actually reduces insurance costs. And a report in the Western Journal of Medicine revealed that patients of chiropractic doctors were three times as likely to be satisfied with their treatment as were patients of medical doctors. Moreover, they recovered four times faster.

Your Back (and Wallet) Deserve a Chiropractor

In spite of convincing evidence that chiropractic treatment for back pain is cost-effective and superior to anything conventional medicine has to offer, there are still those within the medical community who wish to destroy the entire chiropractic profession. Fortunately for you this is not likely to happen. My recommendation is that whenever you have back pain or discomfort, go see a chiropractor.

References

• Cherkin, M. Patient evaluations of low back pain care from family physicians and chiropractors. Western Jour. of Med., March 1989; 150:351-5.
• Meade et al. Low back pain of mechanical origin: Randomized comparison of chiropractic and hospital outpatient treatment. BMJ, June 2, 1990; 300:1431-6.
• Schifrin, LG. Mandated health insurance coverage for chiropractic treatment: An economic assessment, with implications for the Commonwealth of Virginia. College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, and Medical College of Virginia, Richmond, VA, January 1992.

Modified from Health & Healing with permission from Healthy Directions, LLC. Photocopying, reproduction, or quotation strictly prohibited without written permission from the publisher. To subscribe to Health & Healing, click here.