Moriarty Chiropractic Shares Benefits of Chiropractic Care for Chronic Pain in VHA and Beyond

Chiropractic care in the Veterans’ Administration healthcare system is legally called for inclusion 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 the wider population. New papers highlight chiropractic’s benefits. Moriarty Chiropractic shares these with our Nashua chiropractic patients who already experience many of these benefits!

CHRONIC PAIN HELP IN VHA

Non-pharmacological treatment modalities (NPM) are promoted in consensus guideline recommendations for chronic pain management. US healthcare systems face barriers to such incorporation 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 excessively impacted by chronic pain. Chronic pain-afflicted veterans who sought care at the VHA in the last 12 months 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 main 3 used by chronic pain veterans were chiropractic care, educational class, or psychotherapy. The VHA policies can help other integrated US healthcare systems incorporate the recommended non-pharmacological treatment modalities to benefit their patients. (1) Moriarty Chiropractic is happy to see the inclusion 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

Moriarty Chiropractic hopes to see use of chiropractic services expand. From 2005 to 2016 there was an increase in chiropractic care use – part of the VA’s efforts to increase non-pharmacological treatment options open 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) Moriarty Chiropractic is honored to care for a bit larger percentage of Nashua 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 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 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 recorded a statistically significant mean group difference favoring the usual medical care plus chiropractic care group versus usual medical care alone. (3) Moriarty Chiropractic witnesses this, too, and works with medical colleagues to benefit our patients.

CONTACT Moriarty Chiropractic

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 with the Cox® Technic Flexion Distraction System of Spinal Pain Management.

Set up your Nashua 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 Nashua healthcare grows.