Currently, there are 20,000 physicians practicing urgent care medicine. Most of these physicians either own, or are employed by, urgent care centers and medical clinics. These facilities tend to be open after regular hours, and 85% of them see patients throughout the entire week. The Urgent Care Association of America found that approximately 3 million patients visit urgent care clinics on a weekly basis.
There are a variety of health issues and conditions that can be treated at urgent care clinics, including back pain. A survey shows that approximately 69% of people in the United States have back pain to such a degree that it impacts their daily lives. Furthermore, a minimum of 40% of the individuals with chronic low-back pain haven’t sought treatment.
Some people that experience lower-back pain will engage in different types of exercise in order to alleviate this pain. This appears to be the case with 4 out of every 10 people that suffer with this issue. The types of exercise in which they engage may include walking, stretching, swimming, and other types of aerobic exercises.
Other individuals may choose physical therapy to treat their lower-back pain. A study showed that when patients received early physical therapy to treat lower-back pain, that their total medical costs were $2,736.23 lower than for those that did not seek this type of treatment.
World Neurosurgery published a study that compared the difference between lumbar fusion and physical therapy treatments for degenerative disc disease. The results of this study showed that there weren’t significant differences in treatment outcomes. This study focused on a total of 96 patients, where 53 had lumbar fusion and 43 opted for physical therapy.
While many individuals within the Baby Boomer generation are engaged in some level of physical activity every week, others are not as active. A survey showed that 1 out of every 10 individuals within this generation just engage in physical activities a few days a month. Predictions indicate that by 2030, 6 out of every 10 Baby Boomers will be experiencing some type of chronic condition. For those individuals that aren’t physically active on a regular basis, it could very well be lower-back pain among other conditions.
Whether someone has lower-back pain or other medical issues, they can visit an urgent care clinic for evaluation and treatment. Since these clinics have physical therapy options, it makes sense to seek treatment rather than to endure the type of pain that can negatively impact daily life. A physical therapist will also be able to recommend specific exercises to assist them with being and remaining active.