Effectiveness of Opioids for Pain Control is Questionable while Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation is Recommended

June 12, 2018

The opioid epidemic. It’s in the news. Manchester does not2 escape the opioid issue. Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries sees some Manchester chiropractic patients with Manchester back pain struggle with opioids that were, at some point, prescribed to assist them in coping with their back pain and now want to be done with them. Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries gets it and is prepared to help Manchester back pain sufferers get relief without opioid drugs. The effectiveness of opioid drugs for control of Manchester back pain is questioned while spinal manipulation such as offered at Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries is suggested.

WHY OPIOIDS FOR BACK PAIN

Low back pain overwhelms its sufferers’ life. It’s no wonder that a back pain sufferer wants a pill to get rid of the pain, a Manchester back surgery to remove the pain’s source now. Sometimes it is not that simple: the pill may have unwanted effects or the benefits may not last long enough; the surgery relief may not continue or resulted in an unexpected result. Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries appreciates the role of drugs for pain relief when necessary, admires the part back surgery plays in a Manchester back pain sufferer’s journey toward pain relief and a better quality of life. Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries also offers complementary care to those back pain relief options and, for some Manchester back pain sufferers, back surgery prevention as well as post-back surgery rehab and Manchester back pain relief.

OPIOIDS’ ROLE IN BACK PAIN RELIEF

A recent Cochrane data review of randomized clinical trials on the effectiveness of opioids and other drugs for chronic low back pain decided that the effectiveness is poor. Opioids’ effects on pain reduction and function improvement are small to moderate and brief compared to placebo. The side effects, serious ones for those who use strong opioids for a long time, were common. (1) Some patients react better to drug therapies than others. Researchers found it hard to figure out just how effective drugs like oxycodone and clobazam and imipramine will be for which chronic low back pain patient. (2) Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries understands the Manchester back pain patient who comes for Manchester chiropractic care and establishes the appropriate treatment plan to secure some back pain relief.

OPIOIDS AND BACK SURGERY

Patients opt for back surgery often for pain relief or a quick fix that will negate the need for pain control drugs. Researchers checked into this idea and reported that many back pain sufferers who were took opioids before surgery expected that surgery would fix the problem and not have to take opioids anymore. Reality shows that of 2491 adults who underwent lumbar fusion back surgery, 1045 needed long-term opioids before surgery, and 1094 used opioids subsequently. Of the pre-operative opioid patients, 77.1% kept consuming them long-term, 13.8% occasionally, and just 9.1% discontinued or took them short-term subsequently. 34.4% continued with a lower dose, but 44.8% continued with a higher dose. Of those who didn’t take any opioids before back surgery, 12.8% became long-term users. What was the end result? What do patients need to know who are considering Manchester back surgery as the ultimate solution to their Manchester back pain? Lumbar fusion back surgery rarely stopped the long-term opioid use and heightened the risk of starting their use afterwards. Patient expectations of pain reduction and opioid use reduction need to be reconsidered. (3)

ALTERNATIVES TO OPIOIDS FOR BACK PAIN RELIEF

Researchers strive to create guidelines for back pain relief treatment. These guidelines state that non-effective treatments should be avoided (systemic corticosteroids, TENS, traction, electrical muscle stim, benozodiazepines, botulinum toxin injection, etc.) and suggest that clinicians teach and comfort patients, direct them to remain active and perform self-care. Acute back pain patients can choose exercise, manual therapy, heat, and NSAIDS. Chronic back pain patients can choose exercise, yoga, manual therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, acupuncture, biofeedback, massage, rehabilitation, etc. Radicular back pain patients may choose exercise, spinal manipulation, NSAIDs. (4) Manchester chiropractic care at Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries fits these guidelines. Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries offers a Manchester chiropractic treatment plan of spinal manipulation with Cox Technic, exercise, rehabilitation, and more.

CONTACT Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries

Schedule you Manchester chiropractic appointment today with Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries. Opioids aren’t the only way to deal with Manchester back pain, particularly Manchester chronic low back pain. Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries offers optimism for chronic low back pain relief to Manchester back pain sufferers desiring a way to avoid or escape the opioid epidemic.

Chiropractic spinal manipulation at Manchester Chiropractic & Sports Injuries is worthwhile over opioids for back pain control.

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