Spinal pain is a huge problem in this country and some of the statistics are shocking.

Spinal pain is a huge problem in this country and some of the statistics are shocking. About two thirds of all Americans seek treatment for neck or back pain sometime during their life time. The top three leading causes of disability are arthritis, back pain and heart disease. About 1 in 3 U. S. citizens is disabled before they reach retirement. The United States spends nearly $300 billion per year to treat pain. Much of this treatment is for the treatment of neck pain and back pain. Chiropractic was once considered to be alternative care but has now become a part of traditional healthcare in the United States.The American College of Physicians considers chiropractic treatment to be effective treatment for back and neck pain. (http://ncbi.nim.nih.gov/pubmed/17909209) Unfortunately, state laws often discriminate against doctors of chiropractic and their patients. Co-payments are often higher for chiropractors than for medical doctors or physical therapists. Many insurance plans require a medical doctor to act as a gait keeper to refer for chiropractic care. This increases the cost to the patient as well as the health care system. Treatment provided by a doctor of chiropractic is often much less expensive that standard medical care for back and neck pain. Some spinal conditions require medications and even surgery but the vast majority of spinal pain patients do not need these services.

A 2008 research study found that the use of narcotics for worker's compensation claims increases the costs of care by 9 fold. Another study by Accident Fund Holding, showed that when a short-term pain killer like Percocet was prescribed, the cost of treating the injured worker increased by 3 fold. When OxyContin was prescribed, the cost of treating an injured worker rose nine fold to an average of $117,000 per claim.

The British Medical Journal reported on a randomized controlled trial of patients with neck pain. This 52 week study divided the patients into three groups. One group received chiropractic adjustments, another group received physical therapy which consisted mainly of exercises. The third group received medical care consisting of counseling, education and drugs. The chiropractic treatment resulted in faster recovery and was about one-third the cost of the physiotherapy and the medical care.

Chiropractic should be the first choice for the treatment of neck and back care. Chiropractic is safe and effective and has been shown to be cost effective treatment for spinal problems including disc herniation, sciatica, strains and sprains. Dr. Greg Crawford D.C. has treated musculoskeletal problems with conservative chiropractic care in Fort Collins, Colorado for almost thirty years.