Why You Should Avoid Drugs for Back Pain

Chiropractic is based on the approach of aiding your body to naturally heal through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that promote overall health. For Dr. James Ellis & Dr. Lyndsay Martin, this means working hard to restore your body's normal functioning to avoid the need for drugs or surgical treatments. We see that most of our Woburn & Chelmsford, MA patients are pleased to find a natural solution for their health problems.

One benefit of chiropractic is that it helps people minimize or even eliminate the use of narcotics. Prescription medications are commonly issued to individuals who have back problems. This is such a serious crisis that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a news release stating that opioid (painkiller) risks overshadow the advantages when prescribed for back pain.

Some of the most well-known opiates, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Statistics provided by the AAN mention the fact that roughly 50% of the people taking these types of substances for a period of three months are still taking them five years down the road. This can further complicate the issue of back pain and healing, especially if an opiate dependency arises.

Contrast that to chiropractic care which incorporates natural healing and the benefits are clear. While a medication might be useful at briefly relieving the discomfort of a health condition, it's not a real solution to the problem. A drug won't fix your injured back; it will only conceal the pain.

Dr. James Ellis & Dr. Lyndsay Martin will first examine you to get to the source of your back problems and then work with you to solve the spinal interference -- without risky drugs.

If you're ready for relief, naturally, give our Woburn & Chelmsford, MA office a call at (781) 460-0939 to make an appointment with Dr. James Ellis & Dr. Lyndsay Martin.

References

• Risk of opioids outweigh benefits for headache, low back pain, other conditions. American Academy of Neurology;September 29, 2014.
• What are opioids? National Institute on Drug Abuse. Retrieved from http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/research-reports/prescription-drugs/opioids/what-are-opioids