A recent study in the prestigious journal Spine has shown that patients who receive chiropractic care are far less likely to have surgery. The study examined almost 2000 patients who were injured at work and found that approximately 9% received surgery for their injury.  Of those who had surgery, 42% who treated with a medical doctor vs. only 1.5% of those who saw a chiropractor went on to surgery.  This is a serious and significant disparity.  We are finding that the current medical model of back pain still relies on unnecessary surgery as a treatment for back pain.  Chiropractic, on the other hand, is highly effective in reducing surgery rates for back pain and in most cases less than 2% of all chiropractic patients need to have a more invasive procedure.  This is another powerful scientific study that should encourage all patients with back pain to treat with chiropractic first.