Equal Rates of Recovery Cited for Various Back Treatments : SCIENCE FILE / An exploration of issues and trends affecting science, medicine and the environment
<i> From staff and wire service reports </i>
Chiropractors, family doctors and orthopedic surgeons do an equally good job of helping people get rid of low back pain, but chiropractors often cost the most, a study found. Although chiropractors’ office rates are lower than those of physicians, they end up charging more on average because they require many more visits, according to a study in the New England Journal of Medicine.
The research team at the University of North Carolina found, however, that patients are somewhat more satisfied with chiropractors’ care, primarily because these practitioners do a better job of explaining what is wrong with patients’ backs.
