Chiropractic care for low back pain is an alternative to opioids

Virtually everyone knows that there is an opioid pain reliever epidemic in the United States. Many people know first-hand a family member, friend, or neighbor who has been affected by this problem. This article will discuss an alternative to opioid medications for low back pain management through chiropractic care. It will also update the reader on current research with managing low back pain through conservative measures.

Low back pain affects 80% of Americans by the age of 40. In my chiropractic practice, I find that it is very rare that people have not had one or more episodes of significant back pain in their life. Many people have episodes of back pain and some, unfortunately, suffer from constant back pain.

Lower back pain is ubiquitous. Due to its prevalence, it affects most of the people with their daily work activities, taking care of their family, taking care of their house and garden, and the possibility of exercising and having fun recreationally.

In an effort to help people with back pain, it became common for doctors to administer opioid pain relievers. We all know that, no matter how well-intentioned, its consequences were regrettable. Opioids are highly addictive and have caused overdoses, deaths, dependencies, and wreaked social havoc.

Since opioid pharmaceuticals are not the answer for back sufferers, what is? Fortunately, the chiropractic care that has been available in the United States for more than 25 years shows great promise.

Chiropractors are physicians who specialize in the care of the human spine. A Doctor of Chiropractic is specially trained to diagnose the cause of low back pain and has specific training to correct the cause of back discomfort. Chiropractors use a treatment called spinal manipulation to correct misaligned or improperly moving spinal vertebrae to correct the cause of pain.

The Cleveland Clinic highlights spinal manipulation as a first-line treatment for low back pain.

Consumer Reports surveyed 3,500 people with low back pain, and 90% of the people who tried spinal manipulation found it helpful.

The Journal of the American Medical Association published a review of the systematic research that chiropractic manipulation for back pain is effective and has a low risk.

Attorneys general in 37 states wrote a letter to major health insurance companies urging that alternative therapies such as chiropractic care be used in place of opioid medications. They asked insurance companies to consider making chiropractic care available at a lower cost to patients to combat chronic pain.

With research and data like this, it would be much easier, faster and have a reduced social cost if alternative care such as chiropractic manipulation were used for acute and chronic pain conditions such as low back pain.