I came upon a great article this week that I would like to share from an obscure source, it even includes references! You can download it here (warning PDF download). The main points are summarized below:
1. Their education is equal to their medical colleagues … and might be better in some areas. Several studies have shown our knowledge of musculoskeletal disorders are superior to that of many medical couterparts.
2. They do more than crunch backs and necks. We are licensed and take tests in physical therapy modalities and we are as the article say’s licensed as “primary care providers” although I would choose to use the phrase “portal of entry”. You do not need a referral to see us like you would for physical therapy.
3. It’s safe. Despite the press and rumors manipulation by a chiropractor has been proven safe in several large studies.
4. Chiropractors took the AMA to court … and won … twice. For a long time the AMA disseminated false information about chiropractic and chiropractors to their members and the public for the purpose of protecting their market share.
5. M.D.’s and D.C.’s are working together. I went to dinner with and orthopedic surgeon last night Paul Sloser MD, he is completely accepting of chiropractic, has published extensively in many journals and does not hesitate to refer for manipulation.
Want to know more? Contact your Berkeley or San Francisco Chiropractor.
A recent study, published in the February 2010 issue of The Spine Journal, added even more evidence supporting the effectiveness of chiropractic spinal manipulation for headaches.
Several Chiropractors at Western States Chiropractic College investigated the differences in dose (8 versus 16 treatments) and between high velocity low amplitude spinal manipulation versus light massage in the treatment of cervicogenic headache.
The SMT group had clinically significant improvement over the light massage control. However, there was only a small dose effect difference between the groups receiving eight versus sixteen treatment sessions.
Treatment of cervicogenic headache is one of the areas were the evidence is strongest for SMT and chiropractic. As the number of studies increases and improve, using different patient demographics, different techniques, different doses, etc., the stronger the position of the chiropractic profession becomes in the care of this condition.
Dose Response and Efficacy of Spinal Manipulation for Chronic Cervicogenic Headache: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Spine J. 2010 (Feb); 10 (2): 117-128
Having headaches? Call your San Francisco Chiropractor, Berkeley Chiropractor or Santa Rosa Chiropractor.
A study published in the July issue of Spine reaffirmed several earlier studies concluding, “Both orthopedic surgeons’ and family physicians’ knowledge of treating lower back pain is deficient”. When given a survey testing knowledge of simple lower back pain management orthopedists average score was 44.3 out of 100.
At our office we only recommend care based on evidence based guidelines. Given the above study’s conclusions you may want to consult your San Francisco Chiropractor before seeking the advice of a medical physician.
The Wall Street Journal just printed a great article on how much overtreatment happens in the US. Most interesting to me was the paragraphs on back pain, but what also caught my was that American’s spend $1 billion on unnecessary antibiotics.
“For all the misery it causes, 80% to 90% of back pain resolves with only “conservative measures” (which include anti-inflammatory drugs, rest, heat, physical therapy and chiropractic treatments). “Sometimes it take days to weeks, sometimes it takes weeks to months, but pain lasts more than three months in only about 10% of cases,” says Michael J. Yaszemski, chief of orthopedic spine surgery at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.”
“Whether to operate even in those remaining cases is controversial, he says. With acute lumbar disc herniation, studies have found that two and five years later, there’s little difference between patients who had surgery and those who did not. But surgery can sometimes provide relief faster.” I would add that surgery also comes with some possible severe side effects including death and blindness.
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