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DC vs MD Care for Low Back Pain
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To aid, a study investigating this issue compared the success between medical and chiropractic treatment. Over a 4-year time frame, 2780 patients were assessed with questionnaires. Low Back Pain patients were treated using traditional approaches by both MDs (Medical Doctors) and DCs (Doctors of Chiropractic).
Chiropractic treatments included spinal adjustments, physical therapy, an exercise plan, and self-care education. Medical therapies included prescription drugs, an exercise plan, self-care guidance and about 25 % of the patients were given physical therapy.
The study focused on present pain intensity and functional disability (activity interference) measured by questionnaires mailed to the subjects. It was documented that chiropractic was preferred over medical treatment in the following areas:.
� Pain relief in the first 12 twelve months (more evident in the chronic patients). � When low back pain radiated below the knee (more evident in the chronic patients). � Chronic LBP subjects without leg pain (during the first 3 months).
Comparable trends leaning toward chiropractic were seen for infirmity but were of smaller degree. All patient groups experienced considerable improvement in both pain and disability over the four year study period.
Acute patients saw the best amount of improvement with quite a few obtaining symptom relief after 12 weeks of treatment.
This study also found earlier intervention lowered chronic pain and, at year 3, those acute LBP sufferers who received early intervention reported fewer days of LBP than those who held back longer for treatment.
While both MDs and DCs treatment approaches helped, it's quite clear from the information reported that chiropractic should be utilized first.
These results reinforce the benefit of early intervention by chiropractic physicians and make most sense for those of you debating the question of who to see for your low back pain. For more information, go to chiropractic redwood city
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