Chiropractic Care Is Mandated Before Surgery

Back pain is a common occurrence in America today due to our sedentary lifestyles, poor posture, obesity rates, and core muscle weakness. According to experts, 4 out of 5 Americans will experience low back pain at least once in their lifetime and low back pain is the second most common reason, behind the common cold, for a doctor's visit. This condition can be debilitating and lead to difficulty with every activity of daily living and can cause also contribute to lost wages and financial burdens on family members. According to the American Academy of Pain Medicine, pain costs put a burden of approximately 560 to 635 billion dollars in the US with a combination of medical costs and economic costs related to disability, wages, and productivity.

In May of 2012, the Pittsburgh Medical Center Health Plan released new guidelines for the management of chronic low back pain that included a mandate requiring all surgical candidates to have tried 3 months of conservative care consisting of chiropractic care, physical therapy, medication, and a low back pain health coaching program before surgery. These standard guidelines will be enforced in 15 counties in Pennsylvania, 20 hospitals, and over 400 doctors' offices and outpatient facilities. Administrators are hoping to cut down the use of costly spinal surgery which in many cases can actually cause conditions to worsen rather than a more conservative approach in care that can address and manage about 70% of low back cases. Want more information on their mandate?

This trend will be on the rise in the next few years throughout the world as more research is being put to the test in verifying the benefit of conservative care before surgery. In a recent review at ENEVE, a chiropractic college in Mexico, spinal surgery numbers were found to be reduced and back pain relieved when chiropractic care was sought out before surgery. Chiropractic is a resoundingly good resource for people suffering from low back pain, because it will focus on restoring nervous system function and also address the weakened or injured musculature and soft tissue involved in the pain and disability created from back pain. If you're suffering from back pain and are considering surgery, I'd highly recommend visiting a chiropractor for a minimum of 3 months of treatment before scheduling a surgery. Surgery in many cases is not reversible and may result in an increase of symptoms and degeneration over a period of time. Want more information?

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