Chiropractic is Best for Work Injury, Research Shows

In a Consumer Reports 2011 survey, 59% of subscribers said that when it came to reducing back pain, chiropractic was the best treatment option. So, why are so many consumers raving about chiropractic?

Recent research helps to answer that question and it has to do with (surprise) money and efficiency. For instance, a recent survey of 651 people in Minnesota uncovered some interesting facts about how spinal pain impacts productivity in the workplace:

1. People with neck pain were three times more likely to make mistakes at work than those with back pain.


2. Twenty percent of those with pain made mistakes at work because of their back pain.


3. Non-chiropractic patients were twice as likely to miss work than those under chiropractic care. In other words, seeing a chiropractor allowed patients to avoid being forced to take sick days as a result of their spinal pain.

And this isn't the only study to point to the benefits of chiropractic for employees. A study of 894 patients with back pain found that those who used chiropractic had 70 fewer disability days annually, compared to workers under the care of a physician.  Plus, they saved an average of $88 every week. If extrapolated, that weekly savings could add up to over $2,000 in just six months.

In another study, researchers analyzed the medical records of 12,000 patients with spinal conditions and found that people who used alternative therapies had substantial reductions in health care costs compared to patients under traditional medical care. In this study, chiropractic contributed to 75% of alternative medicine use, making it a significant factor in patients' overall saving.

Surgery has certainly advanced in the last decade and now a number of surgical procedures are less invasive and risky than before. However, patients who get an operation for spinal conditions are still typically required to take several weeks off work, and spend a fortune in the process. Chiropractic offers another option — a chance to heal naturally from sciatica and back pain without invasive procedures, drugs, and mountain-high medical bills. Many chiropractic patients are able to maintain their work schedules while they receive treatment, something that certainly can't be said for surgery.

So if you want to save yourself time and money, call a chiropractor. Dr. Palmer, located near Cheektowaga, Lancaster, and Depew, NY, has extensive experience treating work injuries and spinal conditions. Reach out to Buffalo Chiropractic to start your rehabilitation today.

 

References

Martins B, et al. The association of complementary and alternative medicine use and health care expenditures for back and neck problems. Medical Care 2012; 50 (12): 1029-1036. doi: 10.1097/MLR.0b013e318269e0b2

Cifuentes M, Willetts J, Wasiak R. Health maintenance care in work-related low back pain and its association with disability recurrence. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2011; 53(4): 396-404. 

Thousands of Minnesotans with back and neck pain don’t seek treatment. ChiroCare.Press Release. June 13, 2013. Accessed June 20, 2013.