Looking Closer at Back Pain With or Without Drugs
By Sandy Schroeder
If you have back pain you are living with an issue that demands an answer. You may have received prescription pain pills from your physician, or considered elective surgery.
Or you may be considering chiropractic treatment, such as The Joint Chiropractic, which is now emerging as the conservative, majority first choice by most Americans, according to the American Chiropractic Association.
If we look closer there are some excellent reasons why chiropractic treatment is surging ahead.
Opiate Treatment Hazards
The Harvard medical community says there is little evidence supporting the widespread use of prescription opiates for chronic low back pain. The pain pills have not helped people return to their normal activities or lowered disability rates, while the addiction and overdose rates have continued to soar.
A recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine, led by Dr. Abdel Shaheed, says only short-term benefits were useful and pain-relief was not that great. They said, simply taking pain pills doesn’t fix low back pain, and it can generate a whole lot of trouble, according to healthharvard.edu.
The Chiropractic Contrast
In contrast, the growing popularity of chiropractic treatment may help you find lasting pain relief, as you learn how to manage your back pain and find your way back to your normal routines.
If you are currently taking opiates, you will want to discuss that with your chiropractor, as you wean yourself away, regain control of your life, and avoid the consequences of addiction.
Satisfaction Achieved
According to the White Paper, Foundation for Chiropractic Progress, 2016 - Chiropractic, A Safer Strategy than Opiates, reports of patient satisfaction with chiropractic care are numerous.
In a recent study of North Carolina patients seeking treatment for acute low back pain from primary care physicians, chiropractors, and orthopedic surgeons, researchers found patients who saw a chiropractor had a higher degree of satisfaction in the care they received.
Another report in the Journal Spine, compared family physician care to spinal manipulative treatment by chiropractors. The results showed significantly greater improvement in specific function with chiropractic therapy.
Hands-On Evaluation
In the end, as always, what works for you will be the best test as you seek the endgame solution that puts you where you want to be: Back in control of your life, moving effortlessly through your normal routines.
I watched two close relatives battle low back pain. They both chose chiropractic treatment and their relaxed smiles told me how pleased they were when they made it back to their normal lives. Both were active fellows in their sixties, used to calling their own shots, until back pain simply shut everything down. At that point, their chiropractors stepped up and helped them, slowly but surely, find their way back.
If you, or someone close to you is fighting back pain, stop by The Joint Chiropractic. You will find a private, affordable care plan that eliminates the hassle of insurance, and flexible hours with walk-in visits welcome.