Chiropractic Solutions Shares Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Chronic Pain in VHA and Beyond
Chiropractic care in the Veterans’ Administration healthcare system is legislated and expanding. How chiropractic benefits the VA system and its patrons, the veterans, could demonstrate how chiropractic’s inclusion in more healthcare systems may benefit a larger population. Recent papers highlight chiropractic’s benefits. Chiropractic Solutions presents these to our San Jose chiropractic patients who already experience lots of these benefits!
CHRONIC PAIN HELP IN VHA
Non-pharmacological treatment modalities (NPM) are promoted in consensus guideline recommendations for chronic pain management. US healthcare systems face barriers to such incorporation of such NPM except in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) which is a more integrated healthcare system with policies encouraging such NPM. In surveys, the military veteran-patients who seek care in the VHA system are disproportionately affected by chronic pain. Chronic pain-afflicted veterans who went to the VHA for care in the past year were more likely to get NPM. Types of NPM available range from physical therapy, massage, chiropractic/spinal manipulation, psychotherapy, educational classes, peer groups, and yoga/tai chi. The main 3 used by chronic pain veterans were chiropractic care, educational class, or psychotherapy. The VHA policies can assist other integrated US healthcare systems incorporate the recommended non-pharmacological treatment modalities to help their patients. (1) Chiropractic Solutions is happy to see the addition of chiropractic treatment in the VHA to care for the many musculoskeletal and chronic pain patients it serves.
HIGHER USE OF CHIROPRACTIC NPM IN VHA BUT USE IS STILL LOW
Chiropractic Solutions hopes to witness use of chiropractic services expand. From 2005 to 2016 there was a rise in chiropractic care use – 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 Solutions is honored to care for a bit larger percentage of San Jose healthcare seeking patients.
CHIROPRACTIC’S EFFECT ON QUALITY OF LIFE
There is a reason patients seek out and persist in receiving chiropractic care: they notice a difference. A recent study focused on how chiropractic care added to usual medical care affected health-related quality of life scores. United States service members at the VHA who experienced 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 offices everywhere. Researchers documented a statistically significant mean group difference in favor of the usual medical care plus chiropractic care group versus usual medical care alone. (3) Chiropractic Solutions sees this, too, and works with medical colleagues to benefit our patients.
CONTACT Chiropractic Solutions
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Katrina Weiland on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she discusses treatment of a US Air Force Veteran who has a herniated disc and severe low back pain via the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System of Spinal Pain Management.
Schedule your San Jose chiropractic appointment now. 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 San Jose healthcare grows.
