The truth of the matter is that many patients come to chiropractic as a treatment of last resort. Dr. Nathen Horst has seen many patients who have tried conventional therapies, medications, and even surgical interventions, all to no avail. By the time they come to him, they are frustrated and fearful, and unsure that any treatment will actually be able to help them. This is why Dr. Horst believes that chiropractic should actually be the treatment of first resort.

This is particularly true for patients facing the possibility of surgery to alleviate their problems. Surgery is costly, risky, and may end up being ineffective. On the other hand, chiropractic is less expensive, has fewer risks, and may even be more effective than surgery.

Cost

There are no two ways around it; surgery is expensive. Even with medical insurance, patients often have to pay a portion of the bills. In addition to bills from the surgeon, anesthesiologist, radiologist, and medical facility, they often have to take time of off work. By the time all of these expenses add up, patients could have attended a number of chiropractic treatment sessions with Dr. Horst to address the problem.

A 2012 study in the journal Medical Care compared the annual medical costs for those patients who used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for spinal care, and those patients who did not. The annual medical costs for CAM users was $424 less than for non-CAM users in terms of spinal care, and $796 lower than non-CAM users for total health care costs.

Risk

Any surgical procedure carries a certain amount of risk. There is always the risk of infection, poor wound healing, and scarring, among others. Because chiropractic care is completely noninvasive, it carries none of these risks. Patients may experience symptoms such as nausea, fever, or dizziness within the first day after a chiropractic treatment. However, these symptoms are the result of the body releasing toxins, as well as the tension that causes back pain, and generally only last for 24 hours. Compared to the risks of a surgical procedure, chiropractic adjustments are much safer.

Effectiveness

Some studies have shown that patients who first opt to try chiropractic surgery are less likely to later undergo surgery. A study in the May 2013 issue of Spine examined the medical records for 174 patients who underwent lumbar (lower back) surgery. They found that those patients who first saw a chiropractor were far less likely to undergo lumbar surgery within three years. In fact, only 1.5 percent of patients who first tried chiropractic ended up needing surgery, compared to 43 percent of patients who first saw a surgeon.

Dr. Horst believes that patients should have a wide range of options available to them for treating their pain, and that these options should be as natural and pain-free as possible. This is why he believes in the power of chiropractic to do what surgery often cannot – rid patients of crippling pain so that they can live full and rewarding lives. He invites patients considering surgery to come see him first to find out more about the healing powers of chiropractic care.

Contact Horst Chiropractic today to schedule a consultation.