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Comparison Of Vancouver Back Pain Relief Via Opioid Or Spinal Manipulation

“What should I do about my back pain? It’s been going on for so long.”

Sound familiar? It does for many Vancouver chronic low back pain sufferers. Vancouver Disc Centers knows  Vancouver back pain patients struggle with this problem. There are many options – rest, exercise, meds, manipulation, chiropractic, medicine, yoga, acupuncture, surgery, etc. – which makes it difficult to decide. Recent studies have looked at the cost, safety, and risk of treatment escalation for patients who choose spinal manipulation initially compared with those who choose opioid analgesic treatment initially for their chronic low back pain. The results are thought-provoking.

COSTS OF OPIOID VS SMT FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN MEDICARE PATIENTS

Chronic low back pain is a costly condition, but just how costly is it? A review of Medicare health expenditures for long-term care of chronic low back pain compared the costs of opioid analgesic treatment opposed to those for spinal manipulation therapy. There were 28,160 participants aged 65-84 years old. 77% began with opioid therapy for their chronic low back pain. 23% started with SMT. The long-term expenses for opioid-therapy patients were 58% lower, but long-term overall healthcare expenditures were 1.87 times greater for those same opioid patients. (1) Vancouver Disc Centers follows a system of Vancouver chiropractic treatment frequency steered by the 50% Rule seeking 50% relief of pain within 30 days with more visits initially and fewer as the pain reduces.

SAFETY OF OPIOIDS VS SMT FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN MEDICARE PATIENTS

Cost is one thing. What about safety? An analysis of patient files of Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 to 84 with chronic low back pain for 5 years studied the long-term safety of two common treatment options for chronic low back pain: opioid analgesic therapy and spinal manipulation therapy. The researchers considered a variety of patient records: patients who only underwent spinal manipulation, only received opioids, began with opioids then had spinal manipulation, and began with spinal manipulation then supplemented with opioids. What did they find? The risk of adverse drug events was substantially higher – 42 times higher - for patients who began with opioid therapy initially for their chronic back pain than those who began with spinal manipulation. (2) Vancouver Disc Centers uses the well research-documented, safe, gentle protocols of Cox® Technic.

ESCALATION OF CARE RISK FOR CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN MEDICARE PATIENTS

Research documents another key factor in back pain treatment: how well does a treatment help the patient avoid more complex treatment? A third review of Medicare patient data looked at escalation of care risk – hospital stays, emergency room visits, imaging, back surgery, pain med interventions, and other types of encounters for potential complications of chronic low back pain – in long-term chronic low back pain care patients who began with opioid analgesic therapy or spinal manipulation therapy. Commencing care with spinal manipulation therapy was linked to reduced rates of escalation of care. The rate of escalated care encounters was 2.5 times higher for opioid treatment patients. (3) The use of Cox® Technic at Vancouver Disc Centers lessens the requirement for escalated care while carefully monitoring each patient for indications that such may be helpful or needed.

CONTACT Vancouver Disc Centers

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Nike Taylor on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she discusses treatment of chronic low back pain with the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System of Spinal Pain Management.

Make your Vancouver chiropractic appointment soon. Whether the response to the question of “what should I do about my back pain?” was opioid treatment or other care, spinal manipulation at Vancouver Disc Centers may well be your next (or your first if you are just beginning the search for help) treatment that will get you the back pain relief you want in a cost-effective, safe way. 

 
Vancouver Disc Centers shares new comparison studies of the safety, cost, and effectiveness in reducing the risk of further care of chronic low back pain: opioid vs spinal manipulation treatments. 
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"This information and website content is not intended to diagnose, guarantee results, or recommend specific treatment or activity. It is designed to educate and inform only. Please consult your physician for a thorough examination leading to a diagnosis and well-planned treatment strategy. See more details on the DISCLAIMER page. Content is reviewed by Dr. James M. Cox I."