Chronic pain patients use alternative care, often don’t tell physician

When it comes to managing chronic pain, patients often seek out alternative care but many don’t tell their physicians, a new study found.

A survey of more than 6,000 patients treated for chronic pain at Kaiser Permanente Northwest between 2009 and 2011 found that nearly 60 percent also saw a chiropractor or acupuncturist. But more than a third treated for acupuncture and more than 40 percent who saw a chiropractor did not tell their primary care physician.

http://www.oregonlive.com/health/index.ssf/2015/07/chronic_pain_patients_us…