Alternative Pain Therapies Can Help Alleviate Opioid Crisis

As the overdoses of opioids keep rising, health professionals are seeking non-pharmacological treatments such as chiropractic care and acupuncture to manage pain. For many Americans, their addictions started with pain, as they sought a way to deal with the chronic pain that comes with many illnesses and diseases. In fact, about 30 percent of Americans suffer from acute or chronic pain. As a result, the use of prescriptions for opioids has risen dramatically.

The National Institute on Drug Abuse and the National Institutes of Health both place a high priority on opioid research and pain research to deal with this growing epidemic. Last year, the CDC released new pain management guidelines saying opioids should only be used to treat pain once non-opioid pharmacological treatments and non-drug treatments are attempted.

Thus, the spotlight is growing on non-pharmacological therapies including chiropractic care and acupuncture. Now, professionals say non-pharmacological therapies can reduce the amount of opioid prescriptions written in this country.

Dr. Keith Overland of the American Chiropractic Association points out that chiropractic care plays a big role in pain management as well as preventing the need for patients to seek prescriptions for opioids from the start.

The evidence is becoming clearer, showing that chiropractic therapies, such as spinal manipulation and massage therapy, can cut back on pain for musculo-skeletal injuries such as back and neck pain.

On the acupuncture side, the evidence is also becoming clearer. Licensed acupuncturist Dr. David Miller says that acupuncture can reduce the number of opioids prescribed by treating pain in a natural way. You can also, he says, prevent future addiction greatly.

A side benefit of acupuncture is that it can also be used for focus and relaxation. It can help patients break the cycle of addiction by treating their underlying pain naturally instead of with drugs.

Chiropractic procedures and acupuncture are both non-pharmacological alternatives to pain treatments. Many times, there are other therapies that can be combined to provide a total wellness package. Every patient is different. What works for one may not for another. Sometimes acupuncture and chiropractic therapies alone can alleviate pain management, while others times, those therapies must be used in conjunction with traditional medical care.

Fortunately, the relationship between acupuncturists and physicians is evolving, in a world where lines of communication between the two haven’t always been clear.

To find out more about natural relief from chronic pain through acupuncture in Michigan, contact Marino Moutafis, the founder and owner of Metro Detroit Acupuncture in Southeast Michigan, at 248-432-2846.