The Opioid Crisis and Chiropractic Care

The epidemic of prescription opioid misuse, and abuse has taken a severe toll on the lives of tens of thousands of people in the United States. According to the  Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as many as one in four patients who receive prescription opioids long term for non-cancer pain in primary care settings, struggles with addiction. Every day, more than 1,000 people are treated in the ER for misusing prescription opioids. 

Opioids are only treating pain for the patient, chiropractic care treats the condition. At Diamond State Chiropractic in Newark, Delaware a different approach to healing is taken. Chiropractic care is non-surgical and without the use of harsh medication that produce more harm than good.  Beyond that those suffering from back pain who see a chiropractor as their first point of contact are far less likely to have a surgery, and have zero chance of having to take harsh opioid based medications.  

In a 2013 study done by Dartmouth College, “approximately 42.7% of workers who first saw a surgeon had surgery, in  comparison to only 1.5% of those who saw a chiropractor.” Not only does this mean zero intake of opioids; it also means the cost of expensive surgeries, and prescriptions do not fall upon patients seeking health. Furthermore, it brings into question whether surgeries were necessary in the first place. 

 The Opioid Crisis is one instance that is affecting all Americans both directly and indirectly. While chiropractic care has statically proven to not only treat the cause, but reduce pain without harsh narcotics, and has eliminated unnecessary surgeries.