Paying For Therapies For Chronic Back Pain When You’re Out of Work

Recent research shows that alternative therapies for chronic back pain, such as yoga, actually work. Now, it’s time to get workers’ compensation to pay for these gentle and effective treatments.

Many people who suffer from chronic back pain look for relief that doesn’t come in the form of a pharmaceutical drug or surgery. NPR posted an intriguing article about yoga’s effectiveness for relieving chronic back pain, touting the alternative treatment’s positive results.

Alternative Back Pain Research Study Shows Improved Function in Sufferers After Yoga

A study of 320 recruited individuals suffering from chronic back pain suggests alternative therapies like yoga can ease pain without harsh medicines or invasive treatment. Researchers divided the study participants into 3 groups, one who would take a yoga class once a week for 12 weeks, another who would receive 15 physical therapy sessions, and finally a group who would receive educational information on chronic back pain.

The sufferers in the yoga and physical therapy groups realized improved back function, and they were able to significantly cut back on pain medication. Critics of the study purport that back pain isn’t a one-size-fits-all condition, and that each sufferer must be given options that include drugs and surgery. While this seems reasonable, alternative treatments like yoga are important and effective. They should be funded by workers’ compensation just like pharmaceutical drugs and back surgery are.

Funding Alternative Therapies Research May Bring it More Mainstream

Since reports back the fact that alternative therapies are important and effective, more funding toward research into these treatments is warranted. Individuals who have used opioids for a long time to ease chronic back pain can see better health from alternative treatments like yoga. It makes sense then that insurance companies would pay for these non-invasive and effective treatments.

If you collect workers’ compensation, for example, you are entitled to all reasonable and necessary treatments, including aqua therapy, physical therapy and yoga. Some back pain sufferers receiving workers comp can even get gym memberships so they can work out and hopefully relieve pain.