Countless studies have demonstrated that chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to treat musculoskeletal complaints like back pain, neck pain, or sciatica. Now a new study from Switzerland has looked at the relative benefits of chiropractic compared to medical care for the most common types of pain issues.<\/p>\n

In this study, the authors examined data from\u00a0people who reported spinal, hip, or shoulder pain. 403 patients saw a medical doctor for relief; 316 people saw a chiropractor. Four months after treatment, the patients were asked to fill out a survey reporting on their recovery.<\/p>\n

The authors found that:<\/p>\n

\n
• \u201cPatients initially consulting MDs had significantly less reduction in their numerical pain rating score\u2026\u201d<\/li>\n
• Patients who saw MDs \u00a0were significantly less satisfied with the care they received and the outcome of that care.<\/li>\n
• Patients who saw a chiropractor had significantly lower healthcare costs for their treatment.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

  The authors conclude that\u00a0patients should first be sent to a chiropractor for musculoskeletal problems, rather than a medical doctor:<\/p>\n

  \u201cThe findings of this study support first-contact care\u00a0provided by DCs as an alternative to first-contact care\u00a0provided by MDs for a select number of musculoskeletal\u00a0conditions. Restrictive models of care in which patients are\u00a0required to contact a medical provider before consulting a\u00a0chiropractic provider may be counterproductive for patients\u00a0experiencing the musculoskeletal conditions investigated\u00a0and possibly others. In addition to potentially reducing\u00a0health care costs, direct access to chiropractic care may ease the workload on MDs, particularly in areas with poor\u00a0medical coverage and hence enabling them to focus on\u00a0complex cases. The minority of patients with complex\u00a0health problems initially consulting a chiropractic provider\u00a0would be referred to, or comanaged with, a medical\u00a0provider to provide optimal care.\u201d<\/p>\n

  Houweling TAW, Braga AV, Hausheer T, et al.\u00a0First-Contact Care With a Medical vs Chiropractic Provider After Consultation With a Swiss Telemedicine Provider: Comparison of Outcomes, Patient Satisfaction, and Health Care Costs in Spinal, Hip, and Shoulder Pain Patients. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics 2015;38(7):477-83.<\/em><\/p>\n

  Written by: Michael Melton\u00a0and shared from ChiroNexus.net<\/span><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

  Countless studies have demonstrated that chiropractic care is a safe and effective way to treat musculoskeletal complaints like back pain, neck pain, or sciatica. Now a new study from Switzerland has looked at the relative benefits of chiropractic compared to medical care for the most common types of pain issues. In this study, the authors examined data from\u00a0people who reported spinal, hip, or shoulder pain. 403 patients saw a medical doctor for relief; 316 people saw a chiropractor. Four months…<\/p>\n

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