Why Not Bring Spinal Decompression Therapy into Your Practice?
TECHNIQUE
Lou D'Amico
DC
Statistics reveal tremendous opportunity. According to the Institute of Medicine of The National Academies, 100 million Americans suffer from chronic pain.(1) That is almost one-third of the entire US population. In fact, according to that same study, more Americans suffer from chronic pain than those who have diabetes, cancer, and heart disease combined. In 2010, the United States spent between $560 and $635 billion on incremental healthcare costs related to chronic pain.(1) When asked about the three most common types of pain, respondents of a National Institute of Health Statistics survey indicated that low back pain was the most common (27%), followed by severe headache or migraine pain (15%), and neck pain (15%).(2) These three categories of chronic pain represent 57% of all patients suffering from chronic pain and offer a tremendous opportunity for chiropractors. Many scientific studies confirm that chiropractic care offers a much safer alternative to dangerous drugs such as opioids.(3) In western Pennsylvania, most insurance companies now require four to six weeks of conservative care, including chiropractic, before nonemergency spinal surgery is authorized.
Even over-the-counter drugs, such as ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, and acetaminophen, which many of us thought were “safe,” have now been shown to have some significant side effects, especially when overused or taken chronically. Side effects can include stomach irritation and ulcers, liver failure, increased incidence of heart disease, and death. In fact, drugs such as ibuprofen cause thousands of deaths per year from bleeding stomach ulcers.(4)
The opioid crisis has revealed how mismanaged patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain have been treated. I am a pharmacist and a chiropractor, and I believe that opioids have a place in acute pain, chronic pain care, and end-of-life issues, such as metastatic cancer. The problem is that companies such as Purdue Pharmaceutical, the creator of OxyContin, grossly mislead the medical community, the government, and the public about its addicting potential. Because of their misinformation and kickbacks paid to prescribing physicians, many chronic pain patients had their pain problem replaced by an opioid addiction. By now, most of us have been personally touched by these unfortunate and tragic circumstances.
Chiropractic care, especially when combined with flexibility and stability exercises, can offer a much safer, longer lasting, and more effective alternative to drugs. Now is the right time for chiropractors to develop the cost-effective skills and services that provide solutions for many Americans who suffer chronic and acute discogenic neck pain and lower back pain. This is a huge opportunity to help millions of people! However, the key is to offer effective, affordable, and available care in your practices.
Millions of potential patients who are suffering greatly from chronic recurring and acute spinal disc pain desperately need our help. The loss of quality of life and productivity is tremendous. Becoming an expert in treating discogenic pain provides the chiropractor with a competitive advantage over practitioners who are not. The average healthcare consumer faces higher and higher out-of-pocket expenses through higher copays and deductibles. They are researching and seeking cost-effective alternatives to dangerous drugs and surgeries. There is a monumental need for experts who understand how to classify discogenic lumbar or neck pain and then move the patient through a series of effective and affordable conservative treatments. A chiropractor who is knowledgeable about the classification and treatment of discogenic pain, armed with a modestly priced traction decompression table, can provide exceptional service to these patients while adding an additional revenue stream to the practice.
The adjustment is a chiropractor’s main tool, and I think we can all agree how powerful that tool is. If we can combine the adjustment synergistically with other modalities and procedures, our chances of success in treating complex cases, such as discogenic lumbar and cervical pain, will certainly increase.
Decompression therapy is a powerful synergistic adjunct to the chiropractic adjustment and other therapies and modalities typically offered in a chiropractic office. This mechanical application of axial traction applies a decompressing force to help heal damaged or injured discs. The body’s own healing forces can imbibe into the disc, resulting in decreased pain and allowing the disc material to regenerate.
In the early days of decompression therapy, chiropractors were led to believe that you needed an expensive magic machine that somehow knew exactly what the patient needed. This idea has been proven wrong over time with sufficient research and clinical experience. A well-trained doctor with a modestly priced table can effectively and affordably treat these types of patients with successful outcomes.
Search for a vendor who can provide an affordable table that allows classification-based positioning options and patient comfort. The ability to apply lumbar decompression in the prone, supine, and side-lying position, as well as easily convert from cervical to lumbar applications, is optimal. Also, vendor education and support on how to classify and treat decompression patients is a must for safe optimal clinical outcomes. Staff training, marketing assistance, and clinical support are all added bonuses.
The time has never been better. Millions of potential patients are waiting for you. Adding spinal decompression therapy to your practice can be accomplished with a reasonable investment in time and money. As you master this technique, you will become the expert in safely and effectively treating discogenic pain. So why not add decompression therapy to your practice?
References:
1. Relieving Pain in America: A Blueprint for Transforming Prevention, Care, Education, & Research. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine June 2011.
2. NIH Analysis Shows Americans Are in Pain. National Institutes of Health Aug. 11, 2015.
3. Time to Recognize Value of Chiropractic Care? Science and Patient Satisfaction Surveys Cite Usefulness of Spinal Manipulation. Orthopedics Today 2003 Feb. 23(2): 14-15.
4. Ask the Expert: Do NSAIDs Cause More Deaths Than Opioids? Practical Pain Management Vol.13 Issue 10 November/December 2013.
Dr. D'Amico, is the director and owner of Chippewa Chiropractic Clinic, in Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania where he specializes in chiropractic care with an emphasis on nutrition, soft tissue and rehabilitation.
He graduated from Parker University, receiving a Doctor of Chiropractic degree and W. Virginia University, receiving a Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. He is certified in OTZ methods, KDT Technique, and ART in spine and upper extremity techniques. Dr. D'Amico serves as Vice President and Senior Trainer at OTZ Health Education Systems and is also a member of The American Chiropractic Association and The Pennsylvania Chiropractic Association.
