A Drug-Free Approach to Back Pain Recovery

Chiropractic is based on the concept of aiding your body to heal naturally through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that encourage overall health. For Dr. Ellis, this involves working hard to restore your body's healthy functioning to avoid the need for medications or surgical treatments. We notice that many of our Woburn patients are happy to find a natural answer for their health conditions.

One advantage of chiropractic care is that it helps people reduce or even eliminate the use of narcotics. Medications are commonly supplied to individuals who have back problems. This is such a significant concern that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a press 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. Data offered by the AAN mention the fact that approximately 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 narcotic dependency occurs.

Compare that to chiropractic which incorporates natural healing and the benefits are crystal clear. While a drug might be useful at briefly suppressing the discomfort of a health condition, it's not a long-term solution to the problem. Drugs can't fix your injured spine; it will only mask the pain.

Dr. Ellis will first examine you to get to the source of your back problems and then work with you to eliminate the problem -- without any risky medications.

If you're ready to get out of pain, naturally, give our Woburn office a call at (781) 460-0939 to make an appointment with Dr. Ellis.

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