I’m not a big fan of opioids, as you may have discerned from some of my previous posts. Chiropractors know that drugs which kill sensations which are important messages from the central nervous system don’t address the pain’s source. They don’t heal, for that reason.
And in the case of opioids, they’re highly addictive.
In fact, they’re so addictive (and deadly), that more than 72,000 Americans died of overdoses under the influence of opioids in 2017 alone.
While this trend has been present for years, it’s only now being addressed, with the government attempting to formulate effective responses to curb this tide of human tragedy.
Not the Answer
The rise of opioids as a public health emergency is primarily due to the addictive nature of the drug. These are potent drugs which dull sensation and in doing so represent a risk of becoming indispensable to some patients. Without realizing how dangerous a drug it is, many people unwittingly become addicted in just this way.
But opioids are not the answer. As I’ve mentioned earlier, a drug this potent robs your body of the ability to speak to you (and to health professionals). It’s a temporary solution for severe pain, post-surgical pain and perhaps has a place in hospices. But for musculoskeletal issues and injuries, chiropractic is a preferred alternative to risky opioids.
How They Work
Powerful pain-killing agents like opioids work by blocking pain signals from the nervous system to the brain. They end the conversation.
And worse than that, they replace pain with pleasure. Patients report a euphoric effect, which is also physically numbing. While that may be necessary in some instances, medically, it doesn’t address the root cause which has caused the pain. In many cases, the problem remains untreated but masked by opioids.
Opioid use for more than 4 weeks can cause you to experience even more pain when the drug wears off. Your pain receptors, desperate to get the message through, multiply and the pain message gets more intense. As opioid use becomes chronic, pain episodes intensify as the drug’s effectiveness has been diminished by prolonged usage.
How I Work
I work with my hands. Using palpation, I can detect trouble spots which point to possible causes. Medical imaging confirms my observations and then reveals the source of the pain. With that information, my hands are also trained to heal.
Chiropractors work with the intimate relationship between the spine and nervous system, restoring balance between them. This is not only achievable, it’s the leading way of retaining general mobility and healthy balance in the body which allows your nervous system to function optimally.
I get to the heart of the problem, which is something opioids can’t do. That’s why chiropractic is a preferred alternative to opioids.
Back & Body Medical New York
The work I do as a chiropractor is supported by a team of medical professionals, hailing from the disciplines of physical therapy, acupuncture and sports medicine. We bring patients award-winning multi-disciplinarian care. Contact us to discover personalized team pain relief.
