Newswise — Arlington, Va.— This October, doctors of chiropractic across the country will raise public awareness of the availability of non-drug options for pain treatment as part of National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) 2016.

The campaign, a response to the U.S. epidemic of opioid overuse and abuse, will use the theme and hashtag #Chiropractic1st to encourage the use of chiropractic and other conservative forms of pain management, where possible, before the use of prescription opioid pain medications.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported that 259 million prescriptions for opioid painkillers were written in 2012 alone–enough for each American adult to have a bottle of pills. Research shows that as many as one in four people who receive prescription opioids long term for non-cancer pain in primary care settings struggles with addiction. Moreover, use of prescription pain medications for common conditions such as back pain and arthritis pain is one of the biggest drivers of opioid addiction in the general population.

“It’s important for the public to be aware of non-drug options for treating pain available to them. Chiropractic services and other conservative forms of care are an important first line of defense against musculoskeletal pain and may, in some cases, lessen or eliminate the need for over-the-counter and prescription painkillers,” said American Chiropractic Association (ACA) President David Herd, DC.

During the month-long observance, chiropractors nationwide will raise public awareness about pain management options by sharing information about chiropractic’s drug-free approach to treating back pain, neck pain and other musculoskeletal disorders.

Hosted by ACA, National Chiropractic Health Month is a nationwide observance held each October. The event raises public awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care and its natural, whole-person, patient-centered approach to health and wellness. For more information, visit www.acatoday.org/NCHM. To learn more about chiropractic, visit www.acatoday.org/patients.

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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