Why You Should Avoid Drugs for Back Pain

Chiropractic is centered on the philosophy of helping your body to heal naturally through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that stimulate overall health. For Dr. Mulholland, this means working hard to reestablish your body's normal performance to prevent the need for medications or surgical treatments. We see that many of our Anchorage patients are relieved to find a natural solution for their health issues.

One advantage of chiropractic is that it helps people decrease or even eliminate the use of drug treatments. Prescription medications are commonly supplied to patients who have back pain. This is such a significant concern that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a news release stating that opioid (painkiller) dangers overshadow the benefits when administered for back pain.

Some of the most popular narcotics, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Numbers presented by the AAN cite the fact that about half of the people taking these drugs for a period of three months are still on them five years down the road. This can further complicate the problem of back pain and healing, especially if an narcotic dependency occurs.

Contrast that to chiropractic care which incorporates natural healing and the advantages are evident. While a drug might be helpful at briefly reducing the symptoms of a health issue, it's not a solution to the problem. Drugs don't fix your damaged back; it will only cover up the pain.

Dr. Mulholland will first examine you to get to the source of your back pain and then work with you to eliminate the spinal interference -- without any risky medications.

If you're ready for relief of your pain, naturally, give our Anchorage office a call at (907) 770-5700 to make an appointment with Dr. Mulholland.

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