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Initial Consultation for Neck Pain May Reduce Opioid Consumption, Healthcare Utilization

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Health care utilization in the year following the initial consultation for neck pain was assessed.Health care utilization in the year following the initial consultation for neck pain was assessed.

Patients with neck pain who initially consult a nonpharmacologic provider may have reduced exposure to opioids in the following year and fewer injections and advanced imaging, according to a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes.

Opioid exposure outcomes were retrospectively analyzed in patients who consulted with a healthcare provider (ie, primary care provider, physical therapist, chiropractor, or specialist) for neck pain between January 2012 and June 2013 (n=1702). Comorbidities that might have had an impact on neck pain prognosis or health care were considered in the analysis, and healthcare utilization in the year following the initial consultation for neck pain was assessed.

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