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Back Problems? The Doctor You See First Matters...BIG TIME!

Back pain is one of the most common reasons for a person to seek help from a doctor, but who you decide to go to first can make a huge difference in the outcome. 

 A prospective study done on 1,885 individuals in the state of Washington found that approximately 42.7% of workers who first saw a surgeon ended up having surgery. In contrast, only 1.5% of those who saw a chiropractor ended up getting surgery. 

 So what does this mean for patients?

 The first point to make about this study is chiropractic works. If chiropractic wasn't effective, the number of people receiving surgery after chiropractic care would be much higher, but as the numbers show, there is a stark contrast.

 The second point is less money spent. With deductibles skyrocketing many people are paying upwards to $10,000 out of pocket before their insurance coverage will start. Compare this with average cost of chiropractic care in the neighborhood of $500-$1500. That is a pretty substantial amount for a patient to save. 

 To see more studies on how chiropractic can save you money check out:
How Chiropractic Can Save You Time And Money: 15 Research Articles

 Another important factor is reduced patient risk; by this I mean, whenever a surgery is done, there is always a possibility for serious complications such as infections, nerve damage, blood clots, and addiction to pain medications. So if a person can avoid a spinal surgery, they can also avoid these possible risks associated with the surgery. 

 There is also less of a recovery time with chiropractic care when compared to 1-3 months of recovery time after a spinal fusion surgery. 

 Chiropractors are the only doctors who specialize in the conservative care and treatment of the spine. With more studies being done, we are seeing that chiropractic care should be the first choice for people who are dealing with spine issues. 

 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23238486

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