It’s a fact: Chiropractors offer methods of pain relief that have consistently been found to be both effective and lower in cost. In fact, studies have revealed the following about patients who saw chiropractors as their primary care physicians:
- They had a 43 percent reduction in outpatient surgeries and hospital admissions
- They had a 51 percent reduction in prescription or pharmaceutical costs
In addition, a study conducted by the Chiropractic Journal of Australia found that those individuals who sought chiropractic care for work-related lower back pain missed an average of 6.26 days of work, whereas those seeking traditional medical care missed an average of 25.56 days. When you consider that back injuries account for the majority of workplace injuries, the true benefit of chiropractic care for workers comes to light.
And according to a study published in Spine, only 1.5 percent of patients with low back injuries who first saw a chiropractor needed lumbar spine surgery. Yet, 43 percent of those who first saw a surgeon ended up having the procedure. Undoubtedly, back surgery is among the most invasive surgical procedures, requiring ample downtime and no guarantee of fully functional recovery. To be able to restore mobility and comfort without such aggressive and expensive means is largely beneficial.