Chiropractic care for military Veterans with service-related musculoskeletal injuries (MSI) is safe, non-invasive, and drug-free and can provide considerable relief from chronic pain. 

Learn more about MSIs, along with other challenges many Veterans experience, including psychological barriers to care. You’ll also get guidance on using military healthcare benefits for chiropractic treatment.     

Why Some Veterans’ MSIs Go Untreated 

Military Veterans have significantly more MSIs on average than civilians. Estimates for the percentage of Veterans reporting musculoskeletal conditions range as high as 50–70% with estimates for civilians at about 20 – 30%. 

According to the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), musculoskeletal injuries are the main reason Veterans seek treatment at the VA. These injuries stem from factors such as heavy lifting, repetitive motion, high-impact activities, and unpredictable terrain, and they can involve the neck, back, joints, muscles, tendons, ligaments, and bones. 

Whether active duty, Veteran, or retired, those who serve or have served are also more likely than their civilian counterparts to refuse treatment for their injuries. The reasons include fear of judgment, job/career repercussions, the belief that they can tough it out, and the notion that they shouldn’t “bother” healthcare providers and “take up space” in the medical system when others’ pain is worse. 

These perceptions are not only psychological barriers to treatment, they can drive physical and mental deterioration, creating a cycle in which pain and psychological issues feed and worsen one another. 

When the body is in pain, the brain responds as if it is under attack and releases stress hormones, including adrenaline, cortisol, and norepinephrine. These hormones are designed in part for the fight-or-flight response. Besides hyperfocus and feelings of fear, too much of these hormones, as we see in cases of chronic pain, can cause weight gain, lowered immunity, and memory problems. 

Pain can also upset sleep patterns, which is another contributor to slower mental processes and worsened depression and anxiety. 

Chiropractic Care Can Improve Veterans’ Lives 

For Veterans with musculoskeletal pain or injuries – whether from active duty, training, or other service-related activities, chiropractic care is often an effective treatment choice. 

Stunningly, 65% of Veterans treated by chiropractors report significantly less pain. Opioid overuse is a risk that Veterans are especially vulnerable to, but according to the Journal of Pain Research, the need for opioids drops by about 32% with chiropractic care.  

As pain eases and patients feel better, they often increase their physical activity, which releases the body’s own pain relievers, endorphins. Endorphins, also known as “feel-good” hormones, promote feelings of happiness and well-being. As mental and emotional health improves, neglected family and social relationships are often revived. 

Chiropractic treatments, including manual spinal adjustments, stretching, and targeted exercises, are drug-free and non-invasive, so healing occurs naturally. Chiropractic also helps prevent further injury. Besides pain relief and injury stabilization, patients often see other improvements that include:  

• Better balance and flexibility 
• Healthier nerves and soft tissues
• Improved mobility and range of motion
• Reduced joint stiffness
• Stronger muscles 

The VA and its medical arm, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA), offer chiropractic care, and their healthcare coverage typically includes copays. Generally speaking, for the VA to pay for chiropractic care, musculoskeletal injuries and related pain must be service-related. 

This means that the condition or injury must have either happened while in the service or been aggravated by military service. However, in some cases, those with non-service-connected conditions may be eligible for chiropractic care and possibly under different requirements. Veterans will need a referral from their VA primary care physician (PCP), a standard procedure designed to ensure that care is coordinated and appropriate for the patient’s specific needs. PCPs help Veterans understand their injuries and whether chiropractic care is best for their MSI. 

In cases of significant travel issues, staff availability, excessive wait times, and certain health conditions, the VA can arrange private, out-of-network care through its Community Care Program. But everything starts with that first call to a VA PCP.

Conclusion

For Veterans living with chronic pain from MSIs, seeking chiropractic care within the VA system, including its Community Care Program, could result in long-term improvement that includes a more pain-free, active, and enriched life. 

Read about some of the Veterans F4CP President, Dr. Sherry McAllister, has been privileged to treat and the healing she has witnessed.