Back Pain Sufferers Prefer Drug Free Care

On August 20, 2004, PRNewswire reported on the results of a study that shows that most people prefer drug free care for back pain over taking medications.  The survey, conducted by the I/H/R Research Group, a full service market research firm that includes experienced health care managers, interviewed 800 adults nationwide in the Spring of 2004.

The survey, commissioned by the American Chiropractic Association, showed that more than 80 percent of chronic back pain sufferers surveyed would prefer to avoid the use of medication to treat their ailments.  However, a majority of those surveyed were taking either narcotics, muscle relaxants or over-the-counter medications to deal with their pain.

The survey also showed that more than 64 percent of the respondents said that they would consider seeking the health care services of a Doctor of Chiropractic to provide their drug free care.  However, the survey showed that only 13.8 percent of respondents were currently seeking health care from a Chiropractor.

The survey also showed the following:

• 18 percent of all chronic back pain was reported as the result of an accident or injury
• Almost 40 percent reported their pain as very severe or severe at the time of the survey
• 71 percent of respondents said they had suffered from chronic back pain for five or more years

The survey participants were also asked if they felt their pain was under control as a result of their current treatment.  To this question 30 percent indicated their pain was not, and an additional 39.3 percent said their pain was only moderately under control.