Back pain is the sixth most common health condition among adults in the United States, leaving chiropractors as the first line of defense for the physical health of nearly 16 million adults. But as social distancing has become the new norm, patients are wondering if their pain is even worth a visit to the chiropractor at the risk they may contract novel coronavirus COVID-19.
What the experts say
The U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security has deemed chiropractors as essential workers during this pandemic meaning many Americans will still be able to visit their doctor for back treatment. But to some chiropractors, the decision as to whether that treatment is telemedical or in-person all depends on the severity.
Dr. Jared Gailes, from Chiro Center Norwood, recommends that you listen to your body and get adjusted when you are experiencing musculoskeletal pain that would normally be alleviated by receiving chiropractic adjustments.
Any neck, back or extremity pain that prohibits you from performing normal Activities of Daily Living (ADL’s) is reason to get adjusted by your chiropractor. Examples of ADL’s include all activities you normally perform in keeping yourself clean from brushing your teeth to taking a shower. Also getting dressed and performing all simple household chores. These activities require you to raise your hands above your head, when drying and combing your hair and pulling your shirt overhead. Also bending forward at the waist over the sink while brushing teeth, cleaning dishes, putting pants on and putting socks on your feet. Also bending forward while mopping and sweeping floors and squatting while picking things from the floor and carrying groceries and other items.
All of these ranges of motion present your spine with various loading and unloading forces that may misalign your spine leading to pain at the neck, back or extremities. When your spine is out of alignment, pressure on the nerves can create pain, weakness and numbness. If left uncorrected, these misalignments can become chronic and present with more severe symptoms such as neuropathy, muscle wasting and loss of motor control to the affected body region.
Telemedicine
Chiropractors across the nation are already switching from in-person appointments to telemedicine in order to assure their own safety, even major insurance companies like BlueCross BlueShield and Anthem have been approving insurance coverage for telehealth visits. And those who have decided to stay open are taking heed to recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus such as waiting rooms requiring patients to sit six feet apart, sanitizing tables, and using face masks.
“At Chiro Center Norwood, we are helping to minimize the spread of the novel coronavirus by allowing space in the schedule between patient visits to both keep a minimum of people in the clinic at any one time and also thoroughly sanitize the tables between visits. Face masks are worn by patients and doctor and staff and hand sanitizer is used by all.”
Ultimately, the decision on whether to visit the chiropractor or not will be left to the individual patient to decide for themselves, but as cases of the coronavirus continue to rise the CDC suggests the best method to stay safe is to stay at home.
Source: WebMD Medical Reference and Jared Gailes, D.C., Chiro Center Norwood.