What began as a chronic pain epidemic has evolved into our current opioid crisis. However, as the number of people with chronic pain began to rise, so did the number of people addicted and dying from prescription opioids. Opioid medication may be appropriate with certain people in certain situations (cancer-related pain as one example), clearly many people with non-cancer neck pain or back pain hope for a more conservative strategy.
To address our opioid crisis, we will first need to find non-pharmacological solutions to our chronic pain epidemic. Over the past few years, major healthcare agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) have recognized that non-pharmacological approaches should be the first line of care for the management of chronic pain.
New studies have indicated that there is a reason to be hopeful. Non-drug care options, such as chiropractic, are very effective at helping people reduce pain. Even people with severe chronic pain have been shown to benefit from the care that chiropractors can provide.
– Chronic low back pain will affect up to 20% of people over 18 years old.
– Cooperation between your Medical Doctor and Chiropractor can help provide the best results.
– Chiropractic care can provide outcomes comparable to those of a pain clinic.
This change to a primarily non-pharmacological based approach to care for chronic pain is unprecedented in healthcare.
Prevalence of chronic low back pain: a systematic review. Rev Saude Publica. 2015
