Chiropractic care in the Veterans’ Administration healthcare
system is legislated and expanding.
How chiropractic benefits the VA system and its patrons, the veterans, could demonstrate
how chiropractic’s inclusion in more healthcare systems may benefit a wider
population. New papers feature chiropractic’s
benefits. New Roads Chiropractic Center presents these to our
New Roads chiropractic patients who already experience 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 confront
barriers to such incorporation of such NPM except in the Veterans
Health Administration (VHA) which is a more integrated healthcare system with policies
promoting such NPM. In surveys, the military veteran-patients
who seek care in the VHA system are excessively
impacted 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 available
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) New Roads Chiropractic Center is excited to see the addition
of chiropractic treatment in the VHA to help the many
musculoskeletal and chronic pain patients it serves.
MORE USE OF CHIROPRACTIC NPM IN VHA BUT USE IS STILL
LOW
New Roads Chiropractic Center hopes to see 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 increase
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) New Roads Chiropractic Center
is honored to care for a bit larger proportion of New Roads
healthcare seeking patients.
CHIROPRACTIC’S EFFECT ON QUALITY OF LIFE
There is a reason patients seek out and
persist in receiving chiropractic care: they feel
a difference. A recent study focused on how chiropractic care added
to 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 scored their
outcomes in a variety of questionnaires: PROMIS-29,
Roland Morris, and Global Improvement visual analog scale, the same or similar
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) New Roads Chiropractic Center sees
this, too, and collaborates with medical colleagues to benefit
our patients.
CONTACT New Roads Chiropractic Center
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 with a herniated disc and
severe low back pain with the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System
of Spinal Pain Management.
Make your New Roads
chiropractic appointment today. Including
chiropractic care benefits chronic pain patients whether they have low back,
neck, leg, arm or other spine-related pain condition. Chiropractic’s inclusion
in New Roads healthcare grows.