Satterwhite Chiropractic Shares Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Chronic Pain in VHA and Beyond
Chiropractic care in the Veterans’ Administration healthcare system is legally called for inclusion 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. New papers highlight chiropractic’s benefits. Satterwhite Chiropractic shares these with our Oxford chiropractic patients who already experience many of these benefits!
CHRONIC PAIN HELP IN VHA
Non-pharmacological treatment modalities (NPM) are endorsed via consensus guideline recommendations for care of chronic pain. 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 disproportionately impacted by chronic pain. Chronic pain-afflicted veterans who went to the VHA for care in the past year were more likely to receive NPM. Types of NPM offered 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 assist other integrated US healthcare systems add the recommended non-pharmacological treatment modalities to benefit their patients. (1) Satterwhite Chiropractic is happy to see the addition of chiropractic treatment in the VHA to help the many musculoskeletal and chronic pain patients it serves.
MORE USE OF CHIROPRACTIC NPM IN VHA BUT USE IS STILL LOW
Satterwhite Chiropractic hopes to witness use of chiropractic services grow. From 2005 to 2016 there was a rise in chiropractic care use – part of the VA’s efforts to increase non-pharmacological treatment options available 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) Satterwhite Chiropractic is honored to treat a bit larger percentage of Oxford healthcare seeking patients.
CHIROPRACTIC’S EFFECT ON QUALITY OF LIFE
There is a reason patients look for and persist in receiving chiropractic care: they feel a difference. A recent 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 experienced combined chiropractic care with usual medical care scored their outcomes in a variety of questionnaires: PROMIS-29, Roland Morris, and Global Improvement visual analog scale, the same or similar tests used daily in chiropractic practices everywhere. Researchers found a statistically significant mean group difference favoring the usual medical care plus chiropractic care group versus usual medical care alone. (3) Satterwhite Chiropractic witnesses this, too, and collaborates with medical colleagues to help our patients.
CONTACT Satterwhite Chiropractic
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 with a herniated disc and severe low back pain via the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System of Spinal Pain Management.
Schedule your Oxford chiropractic appointment today. 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 Oxford healthcare grows.
