We see several patients with back pain in our Harrisburg office, and Blake Chiropractic & Rehabilitation has been able to help many of them find relief through various chiropractic techniques. At the same time, recovering from back problems doesn't necessarily mean having to make a choice between chiropractic care and medical therapy, as many people use both types of care with great outcomes.
In a study published by the academic journal Spine researchers1 looked at a group of active-duty military personnel between the ages of 18 and 35 who were suffering from both acute soreness and limited function due to back pain. Some of the study participants engaged in treatment via standard medical therapy, while the remainder were given chiropractic treatment along with regular medical care, as the authors wanted to see which group fared better.
Researchers found that the group that received standard medical care along with chiropractic scored "significantly better" than the patients who got medical care alone; 73 percent reported positive benefits in comparison to just 17% of the medical treatment only group who reported the same amount of improvement. This was true regarding both pain and level of function at two and four weeks.
Accordingly, integrating these two forms of care can greatly benefit you, the patient, offering benefits when compared to medical care alone. However, while chiropractic and medicine can work alongside each other, chiropractic offers some unique advantages over medical therapy.
Although it might seem as if each method plays a 50/50 role, there is one major advantage that chiropractic has over medical care and that is in patient satisfaction. In fact, one bit of research conducted at UCLA2 that was printed in the American Journal of Public Health found that, on average, chiropractic patients are generally more satisfied with their recovery than patients undergoing medical treatment.
According to the researchers, the main aspects that patients liked over medical care 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 discussing more carefully what to expect from chiropractic care.
Without a doubt, the strategies associated with chiropractic are quite different than those provided with medical care, but a great deal of the distinction is the fact that chiropractic is a holistic approach to health and wellness. In contrast to focusing on simply relieving the symptoms, chiropractic care means searching for the root cause of your pain, which often means greater improvement as you are addressing the problem at its source.
In addition, while medication is sometimes helpful for treating certain conditions, many health issues respond well to a natural approach like chiropractic. This means fewer negative responses to prescriptions and longer-lasting recovery.
You don't have to struggle with back pain or other health issues. Give our Harrisburg office a call today at (717) 657-2561. We'll do our best to help you get and stay free from back pain.
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Trust the medical professionals at Blake Chiropractic & Rehab for all of your chiropractic needs. We have more than 26 years of experience and work to ensure your complete satisfaction. Our staff is dedicated to providing top-quality chiropractic care, so make an appointment today. We are conveniently located right off Route 22, beside the Colonial Park Fire Department, and accept most major insurance plans.
