The NY Times States the Obvious that Chiropractic is Good for Back Pain. Read this to Find Out Why that Actually Matters
Earlier this month, I saw an article in the New York Times written by a physician stating that chiropractic was good for back pain. Great, glad they figured that out after 122 years! Of course it was a very limited endorsement and said that chiropractic care seemed to be as effective as traditional treatments for the improvement of lower back pain. To me, there were two issues with that statement.
- Chiropractic care doesn’t treat back pain. Chiropractic has had success with patients suffering from back pain, but chiropractic is a lot bigger than aches and pains. Adjustments are delivered with the intention of increasing the function of the nervous system and optimizing performance. When structure and function of the body are improved, many of the aches and pains (including low back pain) take care of themselves.
- Even if chiropractic care is only equally as effective as traditional treatments such as pain medication, it intends to correct the problem and avoids potentially unintended side effects, which is a nice bonus.
Although I do not get too excited by these types of endorsements, it made me think about some larger potential implications. Most people will deal with back pain at some point in their lives. Research has determined that number to be between 66 to 80 percent of the population. Often in chronic pain situations or after surgical, pain-reducing interventions, people are prescribed opioid medications for relief. Opioid prescriptions skyrocketed from 112 million in 1992 to nearly 249 million in 2015. Unfortunately, opioid addiction has become a huge problem, especially in Philadelphia, Bucks and Montgomery counties. If we could reduce pain without the need of these highly addictive medications, then that would be great. The cool thing is that a former Dartmouth MD conducted a study that showed patients with back pain who experienced chiropractic care reduced opioid use by 57% compared to patients who did not utilize spinal adjustive care. This is huge news, and for this reason, I’m happy that the New York Times published their article. I didn’t need the reassurance that chiropractic works, but if that article could point one chronic low back pain patient toward a more natural solution to their problem, then that’s a win.
If you know anyone who is suffering from chronic pain or other issues and doesn’t want to take medications indefinitely, then have them seek out a doctor who will look for the root cause of their problems. At Radiant Life Chiropractic in Hatboro, PA, we always offer a complimentary consultation, so we can determine if our office is the right fit for you. Call today to schedule an appointment!