Many in the United States suffer from musculoskeletal problems such as neck pain, low back pain, and osteoarthritis of the hip, knee, and hand. One avenue of treatment is for doctors to prescribe opioids for these types of conditions. However, there is a natural and safe alternative to taking potentially dangerous medications. Recent research has shown that chiropractic care for musculoskeletal pain is a viable substitute for opioid medications. This article will discuss the dangers of opioids, research detailing chiropractic care is an alternative, and how chiropractic treatment can be used for musculoskeletal disorders.
Almost everyone in the United States knows that we have an opioid addiction problem. Opioid medications are numerous. Percocet, OxyContin, and Vicodin are some of the most commonly prescribed. When these drugs were developed, they were intended exclusively to be administered for the most severe cases of pain management. Intractable pain after surgery and those suffering from incurable cancer were thought to be the only times these pharmaceuticals were prescribed. However, some nefarious drug manufacturers and opioid distributors issued a false narrative to the medical community claiming that opioids were safe for minor types of pain. These drug companies are now being sued by US states, generating thousands of lawsuits and resulting in opioid producers considering bankruptcy under the weight of court cases.
The misinformation produced by these illicit drug manufacturers has led many patients to become addicted to the narcotic effects of opioid medications. Unfortunately, many others have overdosed due to addiction. Most of us know someone or family who suffers from the harmful effects of opioid medications.
As previously stated, a promising alternative to opioids has been recognized. Medscape Medical News has reported research revealing that “patients who saw a chiropractor for musculoskeletal pain were 49% less likely to receive opioid prescriptions than their counterparts who saw other healthcare providers.” These findings were presented at the 2019 annual meeting of the American Academy of Pain Medicine. After reviewing the available literature on chiropractic vs. prescribing opioids, the researchers selected studies with a total of 62,000 patients to include in the analysis. Lead author Kelsey Corcoran, DC, VA Connecticut Healthcare System and Yale Center for Medical Informatics, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven noted, “Chiropractors provide many treatments included in the clinical guidelines for the initial treatment of low back pain, back pain, neck, and osteoarthritis of the hip, knee and hand “. In addition, he stated: “Preventing opioid addiction and overdose remains a significant public health priority; and as part of a strategy to decrease opioid use, clinical guidelines now recommend many non-drug options to be considered as treatment. first-line before any drug. “
Chiropractic care focuses on establishing normal alignment and movement of the body’s joints, especially the bones of the spine. Most people who suffer from neck and back pain have misalignments and incorrect movements of the vertebrae. Chiropractic care focuses on correcting incorrect alignment and movement of the spine. This helps most people who suffer from neck and back pain. Chiropractic care is a safe, gentle, and extremely viable option to dangerous prescription opioid medications.
