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. Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka presents these to our
Sitka 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 care of chronic pain. US healthcare systems face
barriers to such implementation 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 look for care in the VHA system are disproportionately
affected by chronic pain. Chronic pain-afflicted veterans who went to
the VHA for care in the past year
were more likely to get NPM. Types of NPM offered
range from physical therapy, massage, chiropractic/spinal manipulation, psychotherapy,
educational classes, peer groups, and yoga/tai chi. The top 3 used by
chronic pain veterans were chiropractic care, educational class, or psychotherapy.
The VHA policies can help other integrated US healthcare systems add
the recommended non-pharmacological treatment modalities to help
their patients. (1) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka is excited to see the inclusion
of chiropractic treatment in the VHA to help the many
musculoskeletal and chronic pain patients it serves.
HIGHER USE OF CHIROPRACTIC NPM IN VHA BUT USE IS STILL
LOW
Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka hopes to witness use of chiropractic services grow. From 2005 to 2016 there was a rise in use of chiropractic care – 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 increase
but are low compared to utilization by other US healthcare
chiropractic-using populations. (2) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
is honored to treat a bit larger proportion of Sitka
healthcare seeking patients.
CHIROPRACTIC’S EFFECT ON QUALITY OF LIFE
There is a reason patients look for and
persist in receiving chiropractic care: they notice
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 rated 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 practices everywhere.
Researchers documented a statistically significant mean
group difference favoring the usual medical care plus
chiropractic care group versus usual medical care alone. (3) Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka sees
this, too, and works with medical colleagues to benefit
our patients.
CONTACT Arctic Chiropractic, Sitka
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 via the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System
of Spinal Pain Management.
Schedule your Sitka
chiropractic appointment today. 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 Sitka healthcare grows.