Seek Chiropractic Treatment before a Prescription

If you read or watch any news these days, chances are you hear a story on prescription opioid abuse or overdoses. Unfortunately, it has become an epidemic in this country and no one is immune. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as one in four patients who receive prescription opioids long term for non-cancer pain in primary care settings struggles with addiction. Every day, more than 1,000 people visit the ER after misusing prescription opioids.Inadequate pain management coupled with the epidemic of prescription opioid overuse and abuse has taken a severe toll on the lives of many people in the United States. Beyond the risks of addiction and overdose, prescription drugs that numb pain may convince a patient that a musculoskeletal condition is less severe than it is or that it has healed. This misunderstanding can lead to overexertion and a delay in the healing process…or even permanent injury.Chiropractic and other conservative (non-drug) approaches to pain management can be an important first line of defense against pain and addiction.In 2017, the American College of Physicians (ACP) updated its guidelines for the treatment of acute and chronic low back pain to recommend first using non-invasive, non-drug treatments before resorting to drug therapies. ACP’s guidelines, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine and based on a review of randomized controlled trials and observational studies, cite spinal manipulation, acupuncture and massage as possible options for non-invasive, non-drug therapies for low back pain. Only when such treatments provide little or no relief, the guidelines state, should patients move on to medicines such as ibuprofen or muscle relaxants, which research indicates have limited pain-relief effects. According to the guidelines, prescription opioids should be a last resort for those suffering from low back pain, as the risk of addiction and overdose may outweigh the benefits.Chiropractors will work to find the root of your pain and devise a treatment plan for healing…all without narcotics.