We have thus far explored the spine and it's relationship with function, general health and age. In this section we will consider additional factors in applicability and current issues related to spinal health and well-being.
A. The Healthcare Gap
Currently, spinal issues in mainstream medicine are treated in three ways: surgery, drugs, or physical therapy. Often, those choices are realistically narrowed to drugs or surgery, with physical therapy to accompany the recovery from surgery. The final stop is "Pain Management", where a counselor will inform you that your pain will accompany you for life and that you must adjust your mental attitude accordingly.
Alternative remedies have largely been inconsistent at best -- partially accounting for the millions of desparate people that opt for surgical remedies. Eventually, there is no other choice. There remains a tremendous gap in healthcare.
Presently, the gap has been miserably filled by drugs, namely, opioids, and the result is a nationwide crisis. Opioid addiction is a sleeper crisis, far larger than commonly thought or publicly acknowledged.
The working class is addicted to opioids -
Morphine, Oxycodone, Fentanyl, Tramadol, Methadone, Naloxone, Hydrocodone/paracetamol, Hydromorphone, Oxycodone/paracetamol, Loperamide, Meperidine, Tapentadol, Oxymorphone, Propoxyphene, Remifentanil, Sufentanil, Alfentanil, Levorphanol, Morphine Sulfate, Oxycodone Hydrochloride, Morphine/naltrexone, Oxycodone/aspirin, Hydrocodone/ibuprofen, Fentanyl Citrate, Hydromorphone Hydrochloride, Methadone hydrochloride, Tramadol/Acetaminophen, Hydrocodone/Homatropine, Oxymorphone Hydrochloride, Propoxyphene Napsylate, Codeine/Guaifenesin, Propoxyphene/Acetaminophen, Hydrocodone/Chlorpheniramine, Loperamide Hydrochloride, Oxycodone/ibuprofen, Tapentadol hydrochloride, Meperidine Hydrochloride, Sufentanil citrate, Remifentanil hydrochloride, Levorphanol tartrate, Alfentanil Hydrochloride, Propoxyphene Hydrochloride, Hydrocodone/Pseudoephedrine, Acetaminophen/Caffeine/Dihydrocodeine, Dihydrocodeine/Aspirin/Caffeine, Hydrocodone/Homatropine methylbromide, Hydrocodone/Pseudoephedrine/Chlorpheniramine, Dihydrocodeine/Guaifenesin, Dihydrocodeine/Brompheniramine/Pseudoephedrine, Dihydrocodeine/Phenylephrine/Pyrilamine.
The simple truth is thus: the majority of people addicted to opioids become so in the process of treating normal, everyday, common back pain -- i.e.: spinal issues. And Md's, have been prescribing narcotics like candy.
A "comedic" look on a not-funny subject, well worth your time:
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We may ask, what are the social and political implications of a significant portion of the nation's populace being addicted to narcotics, couch-bound, and held hostage by 24-hr news networks, preying on their emotions? Is an addicted, in-pain, desparate individual capable of rational thought? How about hundreds of thousands to millions of people? How will this tend to affect and shape our social and political landscape?
B. Disabilty and Workers Compensation
I have worked as both an attorney and a federal judicial clerk in the legal fields of disability and workers compensation. I spent over three years working for the U.S. Department of Labor, writing close to a hundred decisions. I also worked as public interest attorney representing indigent clients in claims for disability. Without question, spinal issues make up the bulk of workers comp and disability cases and claims. The resulting cost to business is in the billions to trillions of dollars every year in care, benefits, and lost profits.
For the average company the impact of skyrocketing healthcare premiums, escalating workers comp plans, and disability benefits on their bottom line is quite substantial. Enough to put many a businesses under. And all to do a poor job in treating the most common of ailments.
Our current inability to successfully treat spinal issues:
http://blog.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/2011/04/spinal-fusion-workers-compensation-claimants-miss-more-work/
I have worked as both an attorney and a federal judicial clerk in the legal fields of disability and workers compensation. I spent over three years working for the U.S. Department of Labor, writing close to a hundred decisions. I also worked as public interest attorney representing indigent clients in claims for disability. Without question, spinal issues make up the bulk of workers comp and disability cases and claims. The resulting cost to business is in the billions to trillions of dollars every year in care, benefits, and lost profits.
For the average company the impact of skyrocketing healthcare premiums, escalating workers comp plans, and disability benefits on their bottom line is quite substantial. Enough to put many a businesses under. And all to do a poor job in treating the most common of ailments.
Our current inability to successfully treat spinal issues:
http://blog.reduceyourworkerscomp.com/2011/04/spinal-fusion-workers-compensation-claimants-miss-more-work/
C. An Aging Population
In the U.S., the older population (65 years or older) numbered 46.2 million in 2014 (the latest year for which data is available). They represented 14.5% of the U.S. population, about one in every seven Americans. By 2060, there will be roughly 98 million older persons, more than twice the number in 2014.
The aging populace in the United States and an overview of economic impact:
http://www.boneandjointburden.org/2014-report/i0/big-picture
(a fantastic resource)
also see
https://aoa.acl.gov/aging_statistics/index.aspx
We can now start to infer the writing upon the wall.
Older people require more health care than younger people. An aging populace will ensure that health care costs to continue to rise. Economic impact will be substantial. An average business struggling with healthcare and workers compensation costs in the present will likely be out of business in the future.
Population aging and the growth of health expenditures:
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.820.4833&rep=rep1&type=pdf
An aging populace in the US will face the same issues as an aging populace in Japan; there are not enough younger people to take care of the old.
Who will take care of the elderly?:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31901943
In the U.S., the older population (65 years or older) numbered 46.2 million in 2014 (the latest year for which data is available). They represented 14.5% of the U.S. population, about one in every seven Americans. By 2060, there will be roughly 98 million older persons, more than twice the number in 2014.
The aging populace in the United States and an overview of economic impact:
http://www.boneandjointburden.org/2014-report/i0/big-picture
(a fantastic resource)
also see
https://aoa.acl.gov/aging_statistics/index.aspx
We can now start to infer the writing upon the wall.
Older people require more health care than younger people. An aging populace will ensure that health care costs to continue to rise. Economic impact will be substantial. An average business struggling with healthcare and workers compensation costs in the present will likely be out of business in the future.
Population aging and the growth of health expenditures:
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.820.4833&rep=rep1&type=pdf
An aging populace in the US will face the same issues as an aging populace in Japan; there are not enough younger people to take care of the old.
Who will take care of the elderly?:
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-31901943
D. Prognosis
We are speeding towards a health and economic crisis for which we have no present solution. This crisis will not be solved by the next miracle pill, the next surgical technique, legislative action, throwing money at it or replacing opiates with marijuana. Nor will it be solved by ancient Chinese wisdom or divine intervention. The crisis will also not be solved by recycling the same bodywork techniques and reasoning over and over. A new approach is needed. One of comprehensive care, accuracy, and specificity.
With every crisis comes opportunity: here a burgeoning health care system will require thousands of skilled therapists to provide what pills cannot -- hands-on comprehensive spinal care. And with it, the ability to confront a number of problematic issues, all at the same time.
We are speeding towards a health and economic crisis for which we have no present solution. This crisis will not be solved by the next miracle pill, the next surgical technique, legislative action, throwing money at it or replacing opiates with marijuana. Nor will it be solved by ancient Chinese wisdom or divine intervention. The crisis will also not be solved by recycling the same bodywork techniques and reasoning over and over. A new approach is needed. One of comprehensive care, accuracy, and specificity.
With every crisis comes opportunity: here a burgeoning health care system will require thousands of skilled therapists to provide what pills cannot -- hands-on comprehensive spinal care. And with it, the ability to confront a number of problematic issues, all at the same time.