Rosenberg Wellness Center 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 demonstrate how chiropractic’s inclusion in more healthcare systems may benefit a larger population. New papers highlight chiropractic’s benefits. Rosenberg Wellness Center presents these to our New York City chiropractic patients who already feel 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 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 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 main 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) Rosenberg Wellness Center is excited to see the inclusion 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
Rosenberg Wellness Center 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 expand 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 rise but are low compared to utilization by other US healthcare chiropractic-using populations. (2) Rosenberg Wellness Center is honored to treat a bit larger percentage of New York City 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 new study focused on how chiropractic care enhanced 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 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 favoring the usual medical care plus chiropractic care group versus usual medical care alone. (3) Rosenberg Wellness Center sees this, too, and works with medical colleagues to help our patients.
CONTACT Rosenberg Wellness Center
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.
Schedule your New York City 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 New York City healthcare grows.
