When I heard the news of
the musician, Prince’s death back in 2016, I told my family that it maybe another case
of an avoidable death. Many patients are not aware of the many ways chronic pain can be man- aged without addictive drugs.
In 2012, 259 million prescriptions were written for opioids, which are drugs that interact with receptors on nerve cells in the brain or nervous system to produce pleasurable effects and relieve pain. That number of prescriptions written in 2012 would give each American adult their own bottle of pills. These drugs are known by the name oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl and more. Drug overdose is the leading cause of accidental death in the United States.
In 2014, 168,000 adolescents had an addiction to prescription pain relievers. The list goes on and on about how pain has been mismanaged. (Check out the American Society of Addiction Medicine for more facts about opioid addictions.) Have you ever watched Saturday morning cartoons with your child and noticed that there are
commercials about child pain relievers such as children’s Motrin or Tylenol? Are we not already marketing to kids to use drugs when something hurts? How about using heat, ice, or natural anti-inflammatories such as bromelain and turmeric and getting adjusted to just name a few.
Doctors of Chiropractic can play a vital role in helping fight the overuse of opioids. As chiropractors, we play an important role in conservative management of acute and chronic pain. We offer integrative strategies that personalize pain relief. Chiropractic care has many studies of helping patients help themselves to regain their health, naturally. Besides lifestyle changes, home pain control instructions, diet, avoidance of aggravating factors, chiropractic manipulation has been shown to help reduce pain and increase function.
Acupuncture is a very effective treatment option for chronic pain patterns and it can be used in combination with
chiropractic care. More and more insurance companies are adding acupuncture treatment as a covered service due to its effectiveness. Some of the very common conditions chiropractors treat are: Headaches, low back pain, coccydnia (tailbone pain), degenerative disc and joint disease, myofascial and muscle pain, “growing pain”, joint injuries, sciatica, rib pain, postural pain of pregnancy and mid back pain to mention a few.
Isn’t it time you and your loved ones took care of pain, naturally?