We see many patients with back pain in our Tulsa practice, and Dr. Bogan has been able to help many of them get relief through various chiropractic techniques. However, dealing with back problems doesn't necessarily mean having to make a choice between chiropractic care and medical treatment, as many individuals use both types of care with great outcomes.
In a report published by the academic journal Spine investigators1 looked at a group of active-duty military personnel between the ages of 18 and 35 who claimed both acute discomfort and limited function due to back symptoms. Some of the test subjects engaged in treatment via standard medical therapy, while the rest were given chiropractic adjustments in addition to standard medical care, as the authors wanted to determine which group fared better.
The authors determined that the group that received standard medical care along with chiropractic scored "significantly better" than the group that got medical care alone; 73% reported positive benefits compared to just 17% of the medical treatment only group who indicated the same amount of improvement. This was true regarding both pain and level of function at two and four weeks.
Accordingly, incorporating these two forms of treatment can greatly benefit you--the patient--offering benefits when compared to medical care alone. However, while chiropractic and medicine can work together, chiropractic offers some unique strengths over medical treatment.
Although it might seem as if each method plays a 50-50 role, there is one major benefit that chiropractic care has over medical treatment and that is in patient satisfaction. In fact, a study done at UCLA2 that was published 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 aspects that patients preferred over medical treatment were "self-care advice and explanation of treatment." This isn't surprising, as chiropractors typically spend much more time consulting with their patients as to how they can better their health on their own, as well as outlining more carefully what to expect from chiropractic.
Certainly, the strategies associated with chiropractic are quite different than those provided with medical treatment, but a large amount of the distinction is the fact that chiropractic is a holistic approach to health and well-being. In contrast to focusing on simply relieving the symptoms, chiropractic care means tracking down the root cause of your pain, which often translates to greater improvement as you are addressing the problem at its source.
Furthermore, while medication is sometimes helpful for managing certain conditions, many health issues respond well to natural forms of treatment like chiropractic. This means fewer negative side effects from medications and lasting recovery.
You don't have to deal with back pain or other health problems. Give our Tulsa office a call today at (918) 832-7880. We'll do our best to help you get and continue to be free from back pain.
References
Dr. Fred Bogan provides quality chiropractic care to patients in Jenks, OK. Whether you're searching for effective pain relief or a way to boost whole body wellness, Alliance Chiropractic can help.
