Chiropractic care in the Veterans’ Administration healthcare
system is legislated and expanding.
How chiropractic benefits the VA system and its patrons, the veterans, could show
how chiropractic’s inclusion in more healthcare systems may benefit the larger
population. New papers highlight chiropractic’s
benefits. Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic shares these with our
Montreal chiropractic patients who already experience many
of these benefits!
CHRONIC PAIN HELP IN VHA
Non-pharmacological treatment modalities (NPM) are endorsed
via consensus guideline recommendations for chronic pain
management. US healthcare systems encounter
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 seek care in the VHA system are disproportionately
affected by chronic pain. Chronic pain-afflicted veterans who went to
the VHA for care 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 assist other integrated US healthcare systems incorporate
the recommended non-pharmacological treatment modalities to benefit
their patients. (1) Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic is excited to see the addition
of chiropractic treatment in the VHA to care for the many
musculoskeletal and chronic pain patients it serves.
MORE USE OF CHIROPRACTIC NPM IN VHA BUT USE IS STILL
LOW
Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic hopes to witness use of chiropractic services grow. From 2005 to 2016 there was a rise in chiropractic
care use – part of the VA’s efforts to expand
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) Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
is honored to care for a bit larger proportion of Montreal
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 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 offices everywhere.
Researchers found a statistically significant mean
group difference favoring the usual medical care plus
chiropractic care group versus usual medical care alone. (3) Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic sees
this, too, and works with medical colleagues to help
our patients.
CONTACT Dr. Hoang's Chiropractic Clinic
Listen to this PODCAST
with Dr. Katrina Weiland on The
Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as she discusses
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.
Set up your Montreal
chiropractic appointment soon. 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 Montreal healthcare grows.