Why You Should Avoid Drugs for Back Pain

Chiropractic is centered on the concept of enabling your body to heal naturally through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that stimulate wellness. For Dr. Harrell, this means working to reestablish your body's normal functioning to avoid the need for drugs or surgical treatments. We find that most of our Tumwater patients are relieved to find a natural approach for their health problems.

One advantage of chiropractic care is that it helps people reduce or even eliminate the use of narcotics. Prescription medications are oftentimes issued to patients who have back pain. This is such a significant problem that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a news release stating that opioid (painkiller) risks overshadow the benefits when administered for back pain.

Some of the most well-known narcotics, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Data offered by the AAN cite the fact that approximately half of the patients taking these drugs for a period of three months are still taking them five years later. This can further complicate the problem of back pain and healing, particularly if an narcotic addiction arises.

Contrast that to chiropractic which engages natural healing and the advantages are clear. While a drug might be helpful at briefly relieving the symptoms of a health problem, it's not a solution to the problem. Drugs can't fix your injured spine; it will only mask the pain.

Dr. Harrell will first examine you to get to the origin of your back problems and then work with you to correct the problem -- without risky drugs.

If you're ready for relief of your pain, naturally, give our Tumwater office a call at (360) 489-0635 to make an appointment with Dr. Harrell.

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