Old Mill Chiropractic Shares Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Chronic Pain in VHA and Beyond
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 a wider population. Recent papers feature chiropractic’s benefits. Old Mill Chiropractic shares these with our St Peters chiropractic patients who already feel many 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 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 seek care in the VHA system are excessively affected 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 main 3 used by chronic pain veterans were chiropractic care, educational class, or psychotherapy. The VHA policies can help other integrated US healthcare systems add the recommended non-pharmacological treatment modalities to help their patients. (1) Old Mill Chiropractic is happy to see the inclusion 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
Old Mill Chiropractic hopes to see use of chiropractic services grow. 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 utilization by other US healthcare chiropractic-using populations. (2) Old Mill Chiropractic is honored to treat a bit larger proportion of St Peters healthcare seeking patients.
CHIROPRACTIC’S EFFECT ON QUALITY OF LIFE
There is a reason patients look for and continue to receive chiropractic care: they notice a difference. A new study focused on how chiropractic care added to usual medical care influenced health-related quality of life scores. United States service members at the VHA who underwent combined chiropractic care with usual medical care rated their outcomes in a variety of questionnaires: PROMIS-29, Roland Morris, and Global Improvement visual analog scale, the same or comparable tests used daily in chiropractic offices everywhere. Researchers found a statistically significant mean group difference favoring the usual medical care plus chiropractic care group versus usual medical care alone. (3) Old Mill Chiropractic sees this, too, and works with medical colleagues to benefit our patients.
CONTACT Old Mill Chiropractic
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 with a herniated disc and severe low back pain via the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System of Spinal Pain Management.
Set up your St Peters 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 St Peters healthcare grows.
