By Dr. Mark VanOtterloo, DAOM
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June 15, 2022
Chronic low back pain can be both debilitating and difficult to manage. As a consequence, chronic low back sufferers can be forced to take sick leave and even miss out on some of life’s most memorable moments. Unfortunately, we are a society that doesn’t automatically provide opportunities for core strength, movement, and appropriate rest. As an example, our hunter gatherer ancestors moved a lot, they did sit - or squat - and keeping a strong body was just a way of life. While this is the environment that we adapted to, modern life asks us to find unique and new models for keeping our backs healthy and functional. At our office, it is not uncommon for patients to utilize an integrative care system while treating low back pain. As a consequence, we see better outcomes for these patients. But what exactly is an integrative care system. According to the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health describes integrative care as a coordinated care between conventional and complementary treatments. This might sound vague at first but let’s break it down a bit. Complementary treatments would include treatments like acupuncture , deep tissue laser , or chiropractic adjustments . Conventional care might include rehabilitative exercises, over the counter medications, steroid injections, or surgery. Integrative care ties both sides of these healthcare teams together in a coordinated way. At our office we have chiropractors and acupuncturists working side by side coordinating the complementary care. Equally important, we also routinely work with patients to help build the very best medical teams. As a result, we see better patient outcomes from even the very severe cases. In the end, integrative care is a win-win for everyone involved. However, working with a team of healthcare providers can be expensive. Surprisingly, there are several ways integrative care is more affordable at our office. We have affordable discounted rates for self pay patients or those working with multiple providers in our office. There are also packages available for some of our services to help reduce the cost. Our clinicians are also preferred providers with some of the major health insurance companies. Also, we do accept HSA and FSA cards (and can provide superbills for accurate accounting). If you are considering becoming a patient for chronic low back pain, schedule a new patient appointment today and we will evaluate your case. Article Author Dr. Mark VanOtterloo DAOM, Licensed Acupuncturist January 14th 2022
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