Effectiveness of Opioids for Pain Control is Questionable while Chiropractic Spinal Manipulation is Recommended

The opioid epidemic. It’s in the news. West Des Moines does not2 escape the opioid issue. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa knows some West Des Moines chiropractic patients with West Des Moines back pain struggle with opioids that were, at some point, prescribed to assist them in coping with their back pain and now want to be done with them. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa understands and is ready to help West Des Moines back pain sufferers get relief without opioid drugs. The effectiveness of opioid drugs for control of West Des Moines back pain is questioned while spinal manipulation such as offered at Executive Chiropractic of Iowa is suggested.

WHY OPIOIDS FOR BACK PAIN

Low back pain burdens a back pain patient’s life. It is not a surprise that a back pain sufferer wants a pill to be done with the pain, a West Des Moines back surgery to remove the pain’s source now.  Sometimes it is not that easy: the pill may have unwelcome effects or the positive effects may not last long enough; the surgery relief may not continue or resulted in an unexpected outcome. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa values the role of drugs for pain relief when needed, admires the part back surgery plays in a West Des Moines back pain sufferer’s journey toward pain relief and a better quality of life. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa also offers complementary care to those back pain relief options and, for some West Des Moines back pain sufferers, back surgery prevention in addition to post-back surgery rehab and West Des Moines back pain relief.

OPIOIDS’ ROLE IN BACK PAIN RELIEF

A recent Cochrane data review of randomized clinical trials on the effectiveness of opioids and other drugs for chronic low back pain concluded that the effectiveness is sadly quite modest. Opioids’ effects on pain reduction and function improvement are small to moderate and short-lasting versus placebo. The side effects, serious ones for those who use strong opioids for a long period of time, were usual. (1) Some patients react better to drug therapies than others. Researchers found it hard to determine just how effective drugs like oxycodone and clobazam and imipramine will be for which chronic low back pain patient. (2) Executive Chiropractic of Iowa figures out each West Des Moines back pain patient who comes for West Des Moines chiropractic care and sets the appropriate treatment plan to secure some back pain relief.

OPIOIDS AND BACK SURGERY

Patients opt for back surgery often seeking quick pain relief that will stop the need for pain control drugs. Researchers checked into this idea and found that many back pain sufferers who were took opioids before surgery expected that surgery would fix the problem and not have to take opioids anymore. Reality shows that of 2491 adults who underwent lumbar fusion back surgery, 1045 needed long-term opioids before surgery, and 1094 took opioids after surgery. Of the pre-operative opioid patients, 77.1% kept using them long-term, 13.8% occasionally, and just 9.1% discontinued or used them short-term afterward. 34.4% continued with a lower dose, but 44.8% did so with a higher dose. Of those who did not use any opioids before back surgery, 12.8% became long-term users.  What was the bottom line? What do patients need to know who are considering West Des Moines back surgery as the final solution to their West Des Moines back pain? Lumbar fusion back surgery rarely stopped the long-term opioid use and increased the risk of creating the need for their use later.  Patient expectations of pain reduction and opioid use reduction need to be reconsidered. (3)

ALTERNATIVES TO OPIOIDS FOR BACK PAIN RELIEF

Researchers strive to create guidelines for back pain relief treatment. These guidelines state that non-effective treatments should not be used (systemic corticosteroids, TENS, traction, electrical muscle stim, benozodiazepines, botulinum toxin injection, etc.) and recommend that clinicians coach and comfort patients, guide them to stay active and perform self-care. Acute back pain patients can do exercise, manual therapy, heat, and NSAIDS. Chronic back pain patients can use exercise, yoga, manual therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, acupuncture, biofeedback, massage, rehabilitation, etc. Radicular back pain patients may use exercise, spinal manipulation, NSAIDs.  (4) West Des Moines chiropractic care at Executive Chiropractic of Iowa  fits these guidelines. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa presents a West Des Moines chiropractic treatment plan of spinal manipulation with Cox Technic, exercise, rehab, and more.

CONTACT Executive Chiropractic of Iowa

Schedule you West Des Moines chiropractic appointment today with Executive Chiropractic of Iowa. Opioids aren’t the only means to find West Des Moines back pain relief, particularly West Des Moines chronic low back pain. Executive Chiropractic of Iowa offers hope for chronic low back pain relief to West Des Moines back pain sufferers desiring a way to avoid or escape the opioid epidemic.

 
Chiropractic spinal manipulation at Executive Chiropractic of Iowa is worthwhile over opioids for back pain control. 
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