- Status and Recognition of Chiropractic Care
- The Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care
- Patient Satisfaction with Chiropractic Care
- Qualifications for Practicing Chiropractic
- Chiropractic Training
- Chiropractic Licensing
3. The Cost Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care
Evidence of the cost-effectiveness of chiropractic care is mixed due to the nature of the condition. However, most studies
show that chiropractic is more cost effective than other treatment options.
- In 1996, Mosley, Cohen, and Arnold concluded that chiropractic care was substantially more cost-effective for back and neck pain than conventional care.
- A 1993 study by Stano compared the health care cost to 395,641 patients with neuromusculoskeletal conditions. Results from this two-year study demonstrated that the patients that received chiropractic care incurred much lower costs than those treated by medical doctors or osteopaths.
- The Journal of American Health Policy reported a 1992 review of over 2,000,000 users of chiropractic care. The report stated that chiropractic users tend to have "lower total health care costs...reducing the use of both physician and hospital care."
- A study of work-related back pain claims in Australia found that the percentage of cases managed by chiropractic was half that of cases managed by medical doctors. In addition, the likelihood of a patient going into a chronic state was three times more likely under medical management.
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PROGRESSIVE HEALTH & WELLNESS BLOG: HOW ACUPUNCTURE WORKS : Acupuncture and other forms of traditional Chinese medicine have been in existence for over 4,000 years. Yet the explanation for how acupuncture works has been largely based on theory. The basic theory is outlined in a text from 200 B.C. It acknowledges in people and nature a vital energy or life force known as Qi (pronounced "chee"). Qi flows through the body via channels called meridians. If the Qi flow is altered, the resulting deficiency, excess, or stagnation of qi causes bodily malfunction, illness, and inability to heal properly. Acupuncture, in which needles are inserted into specific points along these meridians, restores the proper Qi flow, thereby returning the body to a state of improved health and decreased pain.Chiropractic doctors and other licensed practitioners administer about 10 million acupuncture treatments each year in the US, most commonly for pain control, sports injuries, and smoking cessation. As the popularity of acupuncture increases, researchers have become more interested into proving exactly how acupuncture works. To date, researchers have been able to measure an increased flow of acupuncture-induced endorphins. This explains the pain-relieving effect of acupuncture. Also, functional MRI's have measured changes in the activity of key centers of the brain, where pain is interpreted, when certain acupuncture points are treated. There are other beneficial effects of acupuncture also being researched, including the treatment of: nausea, asthma, sinus conditions, colds and the immune system, and other internal disorders. Furthermore, acupuncture has been observed clinically to enhance healing, and provide long-lasting pain relief. Read More |