“Back
surgery is one of the most overused types of surgery as well as the most common
ailment that sends patients to doctors, chiropractors, and physical therapists,”
reports Crain’s Detroit Business magazine’s article titled
Health Insurers Look for Ways to Cut Costs with Back Surgery. What a way
to open an article! It goes on:
- $90 billion on low back pain alone annually
- 1.2 million spinal surgeries a
year
- $60,000 to $110,000 per lumbar fusion
surgery (the fastest-growing type of surgery in the past decade)
The
back surgery failure rate, the so-called “failed back syndrome” or the more “politically
correct” term “post-surgical continued pain syndrome,” is as high
as 50%. (1) With healthcare spending in the US exceeding $3.5
trillion - $10,739 a person – it’s no wonder that insurers seek another way to cut costs, especially when one-third
of the money goes to hospital care of chronic illnesses. (2)
Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic is well-equipped and confident
in offering non-hospital-based care to help Eugene back pain –
chronic and acute – patients find relief of and handle
their back pain – and post-surgical continued back pain - non-surgically.
LOW
BACK PAIN FACTS
Low
back pain is the foremost reason of years lived with
disability around the world. Today, recommendations
for low back pain relief care discourage pain medications, steroid injections
and spine surgery and encourage physical therapy and psychological therapy.
Healthcare systems are apt to struggle with
these new approaches. Why? Pharmaceutical companies’ financial
interests, old payment systems that favor medical care, outdated traditions,
and legal, personal, political, and societal beliefs of us all. These views
are shared in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization,
believe it or not. (3) Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic reads this with interest.
BACK
SURGERY CHOICE
In
light of these facts, it is not hard to believe that
some back pain sufferers will decide on back surgery over
non-surgical management of their back pain. “Patients go where
insurance pays, even if it is surgery.” In one study, back pain sufferers chose to visit a primary care physician (PCP) or
physical therapist (PT) or chiropractor initially because of their health plan type, co-payment, and deductible. Amending
these things to make them more valuable/less expensive/less
restrictive as to provider type might well inspire
low back pain sufferers to pick non-hospital, conservative
treatment instead of back surgery. (4) Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic is
all for this! Less than 1% of back pain sufferers must
have back surgery. (5) Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic is ready to assist
the other 99% of the Eugene back pain
sufferers manage their back pain and adapt their
lifestyles to live with the spine they have and cope with
its episodes of pain and relief.
RECURRENT
BACK PAIN
Eugene
back pain sufferers are not alone if their back pain comes
back. It happens. It’s controllable. It’s
manageable. Some facts first: Within a year of recovery, 69% of
patients experienced another episode of back pain of some sort. Awkward
postures, long sitting times, and more than 2 prior back pain experiences trigger
the risk of back pain recurrence. (6) It’s ok though. Really!
Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic helps Eugene back pain patients find their
way through these recurrences and manage them so they don’t limit anyone’s enjoyment of life.
We have a treatment plan!
CONTACT
Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic
Listen
to Dr. Kimble Cater on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson discuss how
he helped an expectant mother with her repeated episodes of back pain. Whether you’re pregnant or not, Eugene chiropractic care at
Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic can help you cope with repeated episodes of back
pain, too.
Schedule a Eugene chiropractic appointment at
Rethwill Chiropractic Clinic for back pain relief. Our care is not overused! The gentle, effective, evidence-based system of
Cox®
Technic look for 50% relief within 4-6 weeks of care and often delivers
70%, 80%, 90% and more for many of our patients at less cost – in
terms of finances and lifestyle – than back surgery.