Chiropractic care in the Veterans’ Administration healthcare
system is legislated and growing.
How chiropractic benefits the VA system and its patrons, the veterans, could show
how chiropractic’s inclusion in more healthcare systems may benefit the larger
population. Recent papers feature chiropractic’s
benefits. Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation presents these to our
Tonawanda chiropractic patients who already experience lots
of these benefits!
CHRONIC PAIN HELP IN VHA
Non-pharmacological treatment modalities (NPM) are endorsed
via consensus guideline recommendations for chronic pain
management. US healthcare systems encounter
barriers to such implementation of such NPM except in the Veterans
Health Administration (VHA) which is a more integrated healthcare system with policies
promoting such NPM. In surveys, the military veteran-patients
who look for care in the VHA system are excessively
impacted by chronic pain. Chronic pain-afflicted veterans who sought care at the VHA in the past year
were more likely to receive NPM. Types of NPM available
range from physical therapy, massage, chiropractic/spinal manipulation, psychotherapy,
educational classes, peer groups, and yoga/tai chi. The top 3 used by
chronic pain veterans were chiropractic care, educational class, or psychotherapy.
The VHA policies can help other integrated US healthcare systems incorporate
the recommended non-pharmacological treatment modalities to help
their patients. (1) Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation is happy to see the inclusion
of chiropractic treatment in the VHA to care for the many
musculoskeletal and chronic pain patients it serves.
MORE USE OF CHIROPRACTIC NPM IN VHA BUT USE IS STILL
LOW
Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation hopes to see use of chiropractic services expand. From 2005 to 2016 there was an increase in use of chiropractic care – part of the VA’s efforts to expand
non-pharmacological treatment options open to veterans - in the
VA either at on-site VA facilities (1.27% to 1.48%) or from VA-purchased
community care providers (0.29% to 1.76%). These numbers did increase
but are low compared to use by other US healthcare
chiropractic-using populations. (2) Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation
is honored to care for a bit larger percentage of Tonawanda
healthcare seeking patients.
CHIROPRACTIC’S EFFECT ON QUALITY OF LIFE
There is a reason patients look for and
continue to receive chiropractic care: they feel
a difference. A recent study focused on how chiropractic care enhanced usual medical care affected health-related quality of
life scores. United States service members at the VHA who underwent
combined chiropractic care with usual medical care scored their
outcomes in three different questionnaires: PROMIS-29,
Roland Morris, and Global Improvement visual analog scale, the same or comparable
tests used daily in chiropractic practices everywhere.
Researchers found a statistically significant mean
group difference in favor of the usual medical care plus
chiropractic care group versus usual medical care alone. (3) Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation witnesses
this, too, and collaborates with medical colleagues to benefit
our patients.
CONTACT Chiropractic Spine Sports And Rehabilitation
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Katrina Weiland on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she describes
treatment of a US Air Force Veteran who has a herniated disc and
severe low back pain with the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System
of Spinal Pain Management.
Make your Tonawanda
chiropractic appointment soon. Offering
chiropractic care benefits chronic pain patients whether they have low back,
neck, leg, arm or other spine-related pain condition. Chiropractic’s inclusion
in Tonawanda healthcare grows.