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Chronic pain is a debilitating condition, robbing people of their ability to function in their day-to-day lives. There’s a darker side to chronic pain: an epidemic of opioid addiction spiraling out of control. There’s a safe chiropractic alternative to pain meds. First, let’s look at some statistics.

Two factors account for the growing opioid epidemic on  two factors. First, doctors are prescribing pain medication in record numbers (more than 650,000 prescriptions each day, according to the Department of Health and Human Services). The other factor is the development of highly addictive opioid painkillers. Opioids are the key component of heroin, the black market counterpart of this skyrocketing addiction epidemic.

The Centers for Disease Control CDC) report that more than 99% of medical doctors who prescribe opioid painkillers are prescribing them longer than the recommended three days. At least one in four patients given opioid medications develop long-term struggles with addiction. More than 1,000 people a day are treated in emergency rooms for misuse of opioid medication.14,000 people died from overdose in 2014, and the CDC reports that more than 2 million Americans were addicted to opioids that year. The numbers continue to climb. Click here to see CDC studies.

Opioid pain medications have side effects beyond possible addiction, including:

• Slowed breathing (respiratory depression)
• Confusion and drowsiness
• Constipation
• Itching
• Nausea
• Sexual dysfunction
• Danger of lethal overdose

Addiction and overdose are not the only drawbacks to opioid medications. Pain-relieving drugs may give the impression that a musculoskeletal condition is less severe, or that it has been healed. Pain is an indicator that something is wrong. Numbing the pain does not heal the underlying cause, but creates a false sense of security. When the pain is lessened, normal activities are resumed, often resulting in overexertion and additional injury. This slows the healing process considerably. In a worst-case scenario, this can cause permanent, irrevocable injury to the affected area.

Chiropractic alternative to pain meds

Here at Art of Chiropractic, Dr. Leipold utilizes drug-free, non-invasive, and effective treatments for chronic pain. These include gentle adjustments of the back and neck, electro-stim, cold laser treatment for soft-tissue injuries, and physical therapy, including stretching and movement.

Chronic pain, such as sciatica, shoulder, and back pain, negatively affect all facets of daily life. Desperate patients don’t know where to turn, so they end up going the route of risky, prescription mediation. It doesn’t have to be this way. Chiropractic care can aid with pain relief, as well as discovering and treating the underlying causes of pain.

The chiropractic alternative to pain meds offers effective, drug-free relief from multiple sources of pain, including:

• Whiplash
• Headaches
• Back pain
• Shoulder pain
• Sciatica
• Musculoskeletal pain
• Soft tissue pain
• Heel and foot pain

Chiropractic treatment may result in shorter recovery times, less reliance on medications, and significant relief from pain.

Chiropractic as an adjunct to opioid addiction recovery

In addition to the chiropractic alternative to pain meds, chiropractic is an aid to overcoming addiction itself. Across the United States addiction recovery centers are including chiropractic care as an important component of treatment. Here’s how it helps:

• Stress relief: Recovery often begins with stress, uncertainty, anxiety, and physical discomfort. Chiropractic care is an excellent stress reliever.
• Emotional comfort: Taking a positive approach toward health and recovery can give a patient peace of mind and a sense of direction during the difficult period of recovery.
• Pain relief: Pain is often the trigger that led to addiction to pain medication. Chiropractic treatment can aid in identifying and relieving sources of pain.

As evidence continues to mount about the risks and side effects of using opioids for pain management, the American Chiropractic Association has issued a cautionary message to patients and healthcare providers urging all parties to discontinue their use and seek safer alternatives.

If you are suffering from chronic pain, please contact Art of Chiropractic for an evaluation before considering the use of prescription pain medication. Dr. Leipold will conduct a comprehensive evaluation and develop a personalized program to help you overcome pain without the use of dangerous opioid drugs. Or if you are struggling to overcome an existing dependence on painkillers, come in and find out how regular chiropractic care can help you on your road to recovery.

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