Doctors of Chiropractic Provide Alternative to Opioids for Pain Management American Chiropractic Association announces theme of 2016 public awareness campaign
Newswise — Arlington, Va.— During National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) in October, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) will build on its ongoing efforts to raise awareness of the value of a conservative approach to pain management in the face of the U.S. opioid epidemic with the theme and hashtag #Chiropractic1st.
“Chiropractic services are an important first line of defense against pain and, in some cases, can lessen a patient’s reliance on addictive painkillers or prevent their use altogether," said ACA President David Herd, DC. “It makes sense to exhaust conservative forms of treatment such as chiropractic before moving on to riskier, potentially addictive pain medications.”
Statistics show that as many as one in four patients who receive prescription opioids long-term for non-cancer pain in primary care settings struggles with addiction. In addition, every day more than 1,000 people are treated in the emergency room for misusing prescription opioids.
Using treatments such as spinal manipulation, chiropractic physicians take a drug-free approach to treating back pain, neck pain and other musculoskeletal disorders. High-quality research has found spinal manipulation to be effective for acute and chronic musculoskeletal pain.
In the wake of the opioid epidemic, many respected health care organizations now recommend non-drug treatments. For example, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in its 2016 guidelines for prescribing opioids, notes that nonpharmacologic therapies are preferred for treating chronic pain. In addition, the National Pain Strategy, an initiative by several federal agencies, recognizes chiropractic’s value as a method for pain management.
To learn more about the #Chiropractic1st campaign in the weeks to come, visit www.acatoday.org/nchm and follow ACA on Twitter at @ACAtoday and on Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.
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About National Chiropractic Health Month Hosted by ACA, National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) is a nationwide observance held each October. The event helps to raise public awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care and its natural, whole-person, patient-centered and drug-free approach to health and wellness. NCHM strives to educate consumers about the benefits of chiropractic services and to promote the expertise of doctors of chiropractic (DCs) in helping patients reach optimal levels of health and wellness.
About the American Chiropractic AssociationThe American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is the largest professional association in the United States representing doctors of chiropractic. ACA promotes the highest standards of ethics and patient care, contributing to the health and well-being of millions of chiropractic patients. Visit us at www.acatoday.org.
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