About 30 years ago, there was a fundamental shift in medicine regarding how pain was understood and treated. The number of people with chronic pain seemed to rise, and it was thought that the options to address the pain weren’t adequate.
As doctors paid more attention to assessing pain, they also paid more attention to treating pain. Opioid medication was prescribed more frequently for chronic lower back or neck pain. Until then, opioids were only prescribed for severe pain after surgery or advanced-stage cancer. But, in the early 1990s, it all changed. New opioid formulas were promoted as less addictive, and
physicians were encouraged to prescribe these drugs far more liberally than before.
Prescribing these drugs very quickly led to a variety of problems. First, patients rapidly adapted to the drugs, requiring larger and larger doses to achieve the same effect over time. Second, these drugs weren’t very effective at addressing chronic pain. They provided short-term relief but became less useful for many people as time passed. Finally, these drugs provided a euphoric feeling that quickly led to addiction.
• Starting in the 1990’s, doctors were encouraged to prescribe opioids for chronic pain.
• 59% of opioid users report having experienced back pain.
• In the US alone, we have averaged over 130 deaths per day due to opioids.
Now, decades later, we are consumed with the opioid crisis. Over 130 people die daily from opioids, and over 40% are from prescribed opioids. If there is a silver lining to this crisis, we now realize that the answers and treatment of chronic pain are rarely found in a bottle. Many leading healthcare organizations are now recommending non-pharmacological approaches to treating chronic pain- including chiropractic. If you want to explore a drug-free approach to pain relief, schedule an appointment with us today.
Science Sources:
Understanding the Epidemic. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2018
Prevalence of chronic low back pain: a systematic review. Rev Saude Publica. 2015
A Comparison Between Chiropractic Management and Pain Clinic Management for Chronic Low-Back Pain in a National Health Service Outpatient Clinic. The Journal of Alternative and Complementary Medicine. Volume 14, Number 5, 2008
Association Between Utilization of Chiropractic Services for Treatment of Low Back Pain and Risk of Adverse Drug Events. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2018
CDC. The Opioid Epidemic. 2020
Association Between Utilization of Chiropractic Services for Treatment of Low Back Pain and Risk of Adverse Drug Events. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2018
Impact of Chiropractic Care on Use of Prescription Opioids in Patients with Spinal Pain. Pain Med 2020
Association Between Utilization of Chiropractic Services for Treatment of Low Back Pain and Risk of Adverse Drug Events. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics. 2018