For my first real blog posting EVER, I’ve decided to start by discussing an article, referred to as The Manga Report, that has been very influential in the Chiropractic world in terms of our acceptance and effectiveness. This particular article talks about low back pain, however it is important to know that it has helped open up the doors for people to understand that chiropractic care is beneficial for treating a number of other conditions as well. I first learned about this article when I was in Chiropractic school in Portland and I am excited to share the information with all of you.

Did you know that low back pain is one of the most common complaints seen by a physician? Did you also know that low back pain is the most common cause of disability and morbidity in middle aged people? When the Canadian government was faced with a fiscal crisis in 1993, they were forced to peak outside the box at alternative options for the treatment of low back pain. In Ontario, this common condition was the most expensive source of worker’s compensation – something had to change.

The Ontario Ministry of Health conducted a study to determine the degree of effectiveness of chiropractic care for low back pain, as well as other alternative treatments. According to this large study, Chiropractic care has been found to be the most cost effective and effective treatment for low back pain. Other interesting points from this article that you may find interesting:

• There are no studies that demonstrate or imply that chiropractic manipulation is unsafe for the treatment of low back pain.
• Chiropractic management of low back pain is more cost effective than medical management. This is due to the lower cost of auxiliary services, fewer hospitalizations, reductions in chronic problems and levels of disability, and quicker return to work.
• Patient satisfaction, an important health outcome indicator, is higher with chiropractic management of low back pain than medical management.
• Chiropractic is accepted not only by the general public, but also medical physicians as a healing profession that is safe and effective.

Beyond the limits of this article, you can see how chiropractic can help patients while decreasing the burden on the Canadian health care system. Unnecessary back surgeries can be avoided (and reserved for those who do need it), medications costs can be reduced, ineffective and costly treatments can be avoided, emergency room crowding can be reduced, people feel better quicker and they are able to engage in activities they love or never knew they loved, workers can get back to their jobs quicker, productivity improves, and future injuries can be minimized or prevented.

The key to top quality patient care is having an open line of communication between all health care professionals. It is through this alliance that we can help all of you attain your optimal health by providing you the best care recommendations and treatment.

Please click on the link below for more information.
The Manga Report