CHIROPRACTIC: A SAFER STRATEGY THAN OPIOIDS
Chiropractic is a drug-free treatment for pain: Back pain, neck pain, headaches, arm and leg pain and even foot and hand pain. Handling pain naturally without the use of drugs and surgery is effective, and does not expose patients to long term effects of medication use. Over the years, for pain, a common medication prescribed for pain is a class of drugs called Opioids. Opioids are legal prescription pain relievers prescribed for pain like oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl and others. Overdose deaths involving prescription opioids have quadrupled since 1999, as have sales of these prescription drugs. From 1999 to 2014, more than 165,000 people --- three times the U.S. military deaths during the twenty years of the Vietnam War -- have died in the U.S. from overdoses related to prescription opioids.
Today, at least half of all U.S. opioid overdose deaths involve a prescribed opioid. In 2014, more than 14,000 people died from overdoses involving these drugs, with the most commonly overdosed opioids -- Methadone, Oxycodone (such as OxyContin®), and Hydrocodone (such as Vicodin®) -- resulting in death.
Regrettably, overdose deaths resulting from opioid abuse have risen sharply in every county of every state across the country, reaching a new peak in 2014: 28,647 people, or 78 people per day – more than three people per hour.
The newest estimates on the cost of opioid abuse to U.S. employers is estimated at $18 billion in sick days, lost productivity and medical expenses.
An important non-pharmacologic approach in helping to solve this crisis is chiropractic care. If you know someone who is in pain and wants to get well naturally, have them call our office at 626-441-4888.
- Dr. Adrian and Dr. Christine
