The opioid crisis has recently hit the news again, and we at Back And Body in our Manhatten branch look at this seriously. A look at some simple facts and figures shows the issues we face in the US.
For example, between the years of, 2007 to 2014, the group FAIR Health found that dependence on opioids increased by 3,203% by patients who had private insurance. The same group also found that between the dates of 2011 and 2015, charges increased from $72 million to $722 million for the privately insured. Another staggering statistic, this time from Manchikanti L, Helm is that opioids are prescribed up to 50 times the amount of the rest of the world – combined!
Opioid use is therefore extreme in the United States.
How can this be changed?
As a chiropractor, I feel it is my duty to always provide my patients with the utmost care and to help get them out of pain using non drug medications and a variety of therapies and treatments that I have at my disposal. These treatments include chiropractic care, cold laser therapy, therapeutic massage, cryotherapy, Active Release Techniques (ART), acupuncture, stretching exercises, physical therapy and more.
There is an alternative to opioids and this should always be explored first.
However, we have been programmed by society to always go and see our primary doctor and get a prescription for pain killers and hope the problem goes away. Unfortunately it normally doesn’t. Why? It’s because opioids merely mask the symptoms and do little to cure the problem. And that’s where we come in at Back and Body.
Not only do we treat you but we also educate you. Education is vital to help you reduce your pain and to help prevent it coming back again. We have many programs and treatments that we can use to tailor fit to your specific problem areas to help you get back to how you should be.
The opioid problem is a big problem, but it is up to doctors such as myself to help educate and provide quality treatments that will make a difference to your life without the side effects of opioids.
Some states are exploring ways to help combat the opioid crisis. Just recently, a bill was passed in the state of West Virginia by which medical doctors need to refer patients to physical therapists or chiropractors for treatment before any opioids could be prescribed. This is a great initiative and will certainly help more people get out of pain naturally, without reliance on drugs. Of course, there will be some people where this type of treatment isn’t enough, but the majority of people will benefit. Moreover, any company selling insurance in that state must also provide a minimum of a 12 chiropractic or PT sessions to cover the expense of treatment.
It is going to be initiatives like the state of WV has implemented as well as the likes of physical therapists and chiropractors to help put people on a non drug related path to helping people get out of pain.
Remember, if you are in pain we can help. We can help reduce or remove pain and get the body moving more properly to avoid injury. When out of pain, you can enjoy life more and perform better.
We have three simple ways you can make an an appointment:
Call now on (212)371 2000 or text (315)873-3095 or email us at Your.Friends@BackAndBodyNY.com
