Mary Franz - Mar 07th, 2011
Although the majority of low-back pain patients seek the advice and care of their general practitioner for treatment, a recent review suggests that this may not be the best course of action in terms of financial cost and efficacy. Chiropractic spinal manipulation is a recognized and effective treatment for low back pain of acute and chronic nature, and consulting with a chiropractor may also be a cost-effective decision.
The systemic review examined 11 studies that analyzed cost-effectiveness or cost-utility of different treatment approaches. Several different treatment options for low back pain care were compared: general practitioner (GP) care alone; GP along with advice, education and exercise, or exercise and behavioral counseling; clinical rehabilitation or occupational intervention and acupuncture; and GP care along with exercise or spinal manipulation for low back pain.
The reviewers found that GP care alone was not the most cost-effective treatment for low back pain and that the other treatment modalities alongside GP care were more cost-effective. This finding suggests that general practitioners should be referring their patients more often for low back pain, and recommending a recovery plan that includes other treatment options, such as chiropractic and exercise.
Lin CW, Haas M, Maher CG, Machado LA, van Tulder MW: Cost-effectiveness of general practice care for low back pain: a systematic review. European Spine Journal 2011 Jan 4
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