Not only is chiropractic safe for aging adults, risk of injury to the head, neck, or trunk after an office visit for spinal manipulation is 76 percent lower than the risk after an office visit to a primary care doctor.
The study, led by James M. Weadon, analyzed Medicare data on Medicare B beneficiaries aged 66 to 99 years with an office visit in 2007 for a neuromusculoskeletal complaint. The study compared those treated by chiropractic spinal manipulation versus patients evaluated by a primary care physician.
The cumulative probability of injury in the chiropractic cohort was 40 injury incidents per 100,000 subjects, compared with 153 incidents per 100,000 subjects in the primary care cohort. Some conditions increased the likelihood of injury for chiropractic patients: those with a chronic coagulation defect, inflammatory spondylopathy, osteoporosis, aortic aneurysm and dissection, or long-term use of anticoagulant therapy.
Spinal manipulation is especially beneficial for older patients. That because, as we age, our spines tend to degenerate. If the neck is misaligned, it can interfere with our nerve receptors, impairing balance and coordination. Meanwhile, the joints that allow us to bend and twist become less flexible, leading to inflammation and pain. Chiropractic care can relieve pain, increase range of motion, improve balance and even reduce the risk of falls.
Consider the results of a study by Dr. Ian Coulter of the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College. Over the course of three years, he studied 414 patients averaging 80 years of age. Here are the results, published in 1996 in the journal Topics of Clinical Chiropractic:
Those who used chiropractic care were more likely to do strenuous exercise.
Only 44 percent of those in the chiropractic care group reported having arthritis. The figure was 66 percent in the non-chiropractic care group.
At follow-up three years later, less than 5 percent of those who used chiropractic care lived in a nursing home, compared with 48 percent of those who did not use chiropractic care.
After three years’ follow-up, only 26 percent of those who used chiropractic care were hospitalized, compared with 48 percent in the non-chiropractic group.
The Agency for Health Care Policy and Research recommends chiropractic for the care of acute low back pain, as do the American Geriatric Society Panel Guidelines for the Management of Chronic Pain.
Chiropractors are experts on the spine. And chiropractors trained in Chiropractic BioPhysics (CBP) can alleviate spinal misalignments and restore spinal health – so your body can function properly.
Chiropractic BioPhysics is the most scientific, researched and results-oriented corrective chiropractic technique.
Chiropractic Spinal Hygiene Center, headed by Dr. Zev Mellman in Davie, Florida, is among only a handful of chiropractic centers specializing in CBP. At Chiropractic Spinal Hygiene Center, we pinpoint the source of misalignment through digital X-rays or posture analysis software and devise a custom treatment plan to rehabilitate your spine.
If you live in the Davie, Florida, area, contact us today for a complimentary chiropractic consultation to see if you qualify for corrective care.