Duke Health is expanding chiropractic care for patients with more access and more providers, offering a wide breadth of expertise from traditional chiropractic treatments to cutting-edge therapies. Seeing a chiropractor within the Duke system also enables patients to receive more advanced care or participate in clinical trials if necessary, says Duke chiropractor Justin Goehl, DC, MS.

“Our team has over 40 years of hospital- and multi-specialty experience,” says Goehl. “We’re all delivering quality of care that follows recommended guidelines. We’re dedicated to getting the patient to the right provider at the right time, whether that’s us, physical therapy, surgery, or another specialty.”

“Spine-related pain impacts patients’ quality of life,” says spine surgeon Christopher I. Shaffrey, MD, chief of the Duke Spine Division. “For a lot of people, chiropractic medicine makes them feel better quickly, and, as physicians, chiropractors can recognize if there’s something more serious going on that may require additional treatment.”

Current guidelines for spine-based conditions recommend conservative care as a first-line treatment before escalating to advanced imaging or surgery. This helps to reduce unnecessary or invasive procedures, as well as the likelihood of progression to chronic lower back pain. Treatment options include:

• Spinal mobilization/manipulation
• Myofascial release therapy
• Use of passive modalities and therapies
• Mechanical diagnosis and treatment
• Exercise guidance and home care suggestions

Although some think chiropractic treatment is a lifetime commitment, Goehl says the goal is to improve patients’ quality of life, reduce repeat injuries, and discharge them as soon as appropriate.

Shaffrey and Goehl agree that seeing a chiropractor can help patients with not only quality of life but also identifying conditions that may need more aggressive treatment. “We’re trained to evaluate all spine-related conditions and determine what treatment is appropriate,” says Goehl. “If someone comes in with a red flag for a surgically treated condition, we can identify that and help them get the appropriate care.”

Seeing chiropractors embedded within a larger hospital system offers patients significant benefits. “Providers can send patients to Duke with any spine-related complaint, and we’ll evaluate them and help identify the best avenue for their condition across multiple modalities, whether that’s chiropractic or another therapy,” says Goehl. Duke chiropractors also have access to all of the patient’s electronic health record, reducing the need for unnecessary testing or redundant imaging.

Duke’s comprehensive spine health program reduces uncertainty for referring providers. “If you’re not sure what conservative care option is right for a patient, we have a decision tree,” says Goehl. “We can evaluate the patient and help determine their needs. We’re here to help.”