Pain Relief
CDC recommends conservative care and alternative options prior to prescription painkiller treatment.
HASBROUCK HEIGHTS, NJ – March 21, 2016 – In response to the new federal guidelines issued
by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) regarding opioid prescribing, the Foundation forChiropractic Progress (F4CP), the voice for the chiropractic profession, notes that many individuals are prescribed opioids for pain associated with musculoskeletal conditions, including low back and neck pain. Individuals utilizing opioids may be unaware of the effectiveness of alternative care, which includes chiropractic.
“The growing opioid epidemic is finally gaining the attention it deserves," states Sherry McAllister,
DC, executive vice president, F4CP, referencing a report which found that in 2014, the increased
utilization of opioids led to 28,647 deaths – or 61 percent of total drug overdose fatalities in the U.S.
"Chiropractic care is a hands-on, non-invasive approach documented to yield improved clinical outcomes,reduced costs and high levels of patient satisfaction.”
According to a report published by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), spinal
manipulative therapy effectively and significantly reduced pain and improved function for patients with chronic nonspecific low back pain. Today, doctors of chiropractic (DCs) perform 94 percent of spinal manipulations in the U.S. Additionally, an earlier BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders study on upper cervical chiropractic care for neck pain, headache, mid-back, and low back pain concludes that 9.1 out of 10patients indicated a very high level of patient satisfaction.
“Collectively, we need to implement changes across the health care continuum, and the care provided by a doctor of chiropractic is the key to effectively managing pain and avoiding opioid drug treatment," adds Dr. McAllister, who notes that Americans consume 80 percent of the world’s opioid supply, despite comprising less than five percent of the global population. “Health care providers across all disciplines should consider safe and effective conservative care options prior to prescribing addictive and potentially fatal opioids – which have yet to be deemed effective for long-term pain management.”
Under the new guidelines, the CDC encourages doctors to utilize conservative care prior to prescription painkiller treatment, and prescribe painkillers only after considering non-addictive pain relievers, behavioral changes and alternative options. Additionally, the CDC recommends doctors prescribe the lowest effective dose possible, and only continue prescribing the drugs if patients show substantial improvement.
Doctors of chiropractic, who receive a minimum of seven years of higher education, are specifically
trained to diagnose, evaluate and provide non-pharmaceutical care and rehabilitation to individuals
suffering from acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain, headaches and general health concerns.
The F4CP is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising awareness about the value of chiropractic care, and cites chiropractic care as an integral part of the solution in mitigating opioid misuse, abuse and dependency.
