Many people who suffer from back and joint pain have benefited from working with an experienced chiropractor. Regular treatment at our Temecula, CA practice can help relieve pain and restore mobility and strength.

While patient testimonials and anecdotes help convey the benefits of chiropractic adjustment, we feel that facts and figures are even more helpful. Below are several statistics on chiropractic care that will you understand the advantages of regular adjustment.

Numbers on Lower Back Pain

According to The Lancet’s Global Burden of Disease Study 2010, lower back pain is the single leading cause of disability around the globe. In the 1990s, a study in The New England Journal of Medicine estimated that 31 million Americans experience lower back pain at any given time of the day.

Lower back pain remains the most common reason for people missing work, and the second most common reason for people to schedule visits with a doctor (behind upper respiratory infections).

Figures on Back Pain in General

Back pain is extremely common, and not just issues with the lower back. The journal Neurologic Clinics estimated that up to 80 percent of people will experience back pain at some point in their life. That could explain why Americans spend at least $50 billion annually to help manage their back pain.

The Number of Chiropractors in America

There are many chiropractors located throughout the country, which speaks to the demand for safe and effective pain relief. The American Chiropractic Association estimates that there are roughly 70,000 chiropractors in the country.

For some perspective, 70,000 means that chiropractors are the third-highest number of doctorate-level medical professionals in the United States, behind doctors and dentists.

How Common Is Chiropractic Treatment?

Each year, 27 million individual Americans undergo chiropractic adjustment of some kind. Breaking it down even further, up to 1 million chiropractic adjustments are performed each business day in the United States. Additionally, every team in the National Football League (NFL) works with a chiropractor to help alleviate players’ neck, back, and joint pain.

The Effectiveness of Chiropractic Care

The journal Spine published an eye opening study in 2015 that compared the effectiveness of pain medication to chiropractic care when treating back pain.

The Spine study found that 56 percent of patients who visited a doctor and used pain medication experienced a 30 percent reduction of their lower back pain. By contrast, 94 percent of patients who met with a chiropractor for adjustment for four weeks experienced a 30 percent reduction in lower back pain.

This direct approach to treating back pain had demonstrable benefits, and also meant patients would not need to take medication or experience its potential side effects. Given the above, it’s maybe no wonder that 4 in 10 Americans would likely visit a chiropractor for an adjustment before seeing their own doctor.

Estimated Savings from Chiropractic Care

We mentioned that treating back pain costs around $50 billion if not more. A study by The Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine estimated chiropractic rather than doctor visits for people who suffer from back could save Medicare $83.5 million annually.

At an individual level, chiropractic care also means less spent on other treatments, services, and devices to relieve discomfort, such as back braces, pain relievers, and so forth.

Learn More about Chiropractic Care

For more information about pain relief and your many options for treatment, contact the team at Horst Chiropractic. We will be more than happy to answer your questions and address your concerns as they arise.