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GET ME ADJUSTED: The Surprising Benefits of Seeing a Chiropractor as Soon As You Can

Dr. Christopher Quigley Dr. Christopher Quigley

Woman receiving a chiropractic adjustmentBack pain: that unwelcome guest who overstays their welcome, eats all your snacks, and commandeers your favorite chair. But what if there were a way to show this uninvited guest the door before they settle in? Enter spinal manipulative therapy (SMT), aka the chiropractic adjustment, the chiropractic equivalent of a bouncer for your spine pain.​ At our Boston chiropractic office, we always recommend that our patients get in right away for care. This research confirms our approach for the last 35 years.

A study by Anderson and McClellan, published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, analyzed over 83,000 insurance claims to investigate how the timing of the chiropractic adjustment affects the progression of back pain treatment. ​

The Three Amigos of Back Pain Treatment

The researchers categorized back pain episodes into three groups:

  1. Initial Chiropractic: Therapy administered at the onset of back pain.

  2. Delayed Chiropractic: Therapy introduced after some time had passed since the onset.

  3. No Chiropractic: Episodes where the chiropractic adjustment was not utilized.​

Cracking the Numbers

The study’s findings were as enlightening as they were entertaining:

  • Initial Chiropractic Adjustments: Represented 24% of episodes and was associated with a 30% reduction in the risk of escalated care compared to episodes without SMT (Relative Risk [RR] = 0.70; 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 0.65-0.75; P < .001).​

  • Delayed Chiropractic: Accounted for 4% of episodes and showed a 22% increased risk of escalated care compared to no Chiropractic adjustments (RR = 1.22; 95% CI: 1.10-1.35; P < .001).​

  • No Chiropractic: Comprised 72% of episodes and served as the reference group for comparison.​

In layman’s terms, getting your back adjusted early might save you from more invasive procedures later.​

The Takeaway

This study suggests that early intervention with Chiropractic can significantly reduce the need for advanced treatments like imaging, injections, or surgery. So, the next time your back starts acting up, consider visiting a chiropractor sooner rather than later. Your spine—and your wallet—might thank you.​ Call us today at 617-720-1992 for an appointment.

Note: This summary is based on the study “Three Patterns of Spinal Manipulative Therapy for Back Pain and Their Association With Imaging Studies, Injection Procedures, and Surgery: A Cohort Study of Insurance Claims” by Anderson BR and McClellan SW, published in the Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.

Dr. Christopher Quigley

“I was majoring in chemistry at Villanova University when my path turned to chiropractic. I was going on interviews to be a pharmaceutical sales representative, and they always asked me what I wanted to be doing in five years. My answer was always the same: “I want to be helping people, enjoying my work, while making a difference.”

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