Are Chiropractors Helping Fight the Opioid Crisis?
By Genevieve Cunningham
Unless you or someone you love has been directly impacted by opioid use, you may not truly understand how big of a problem it really is in our modern society. It’s a serious issue, and it seems to be growing at a rapid pace. For those affected by opioids, it may feel like there is little in the way of hope. If opioids are the answer to pain, what other choice do we really have, right? For many, the answer lies with the chiropractor. If you’re interested in escaping the grasps of opioids, take a look at how the chiropractor may be able to help.
What is an Opioid?
Opioids are a class of drugs that are naturally found in the poppy plant. The plant is harvested, and the opiate is used to create various drugs. In order to prevent pain, they bind to certain opioid receptors in the body, thus blocking the pain sensation. In everyday language, we know these drugs as pain relievers. Prescription pain relievers such as hydrocodone belong in this group, as do harder illegal drugs such as heroin.
Why is It a Problem?
If you think about the effects of heroin, it's easy to see why these opioids are problematic. But we're not talking about heroin … we're talking about things that are prescribed to people every day. We're talking about medication. We’re talking about finding relief from suffering. How can this possibly be a problem? The trouble begins when these prescriptions are prescribed long-term. When we use these medicines, the body grows a tolerance, and this requires us to consume more. What happens next? Addiction takes over, just as it would with any other drug, legal or illegal. Quitting the drug becomes next to impossible, and many suffer other side effects including sleepiness or insomnia, an inability to concentrate, sweating, headaches, and others. The drug becomes necessary, and the pain often returns worse than ever before.
How are Chiropractors Helping?
Chiropractors may be able to help by reducing pain in the body. How? They may be able to use gentle manipulation to remove joint restrictions. This eases both tension and pain. But more importantly, it removes the pain at the source and does so in a natural and noninvasive way. This makes it more likely that the relief will stick around, and it comes with very few, if any, negative side effects. If you want a way to deal with pain, and you’re not interested in joining the millions of opioid users, chiropractic care may be your best choice.
If you would like to give chiropractic care a try in your life, check out The Joint Chiropractic. At The Joint, getting care is easier than ever before. Just use their walk-in visits and affordable pricing to make the process a stress-free one. Everyone is going to suffer from pain. The key is to manage the pain without further harming the body and mind. Get your pain under control and feel better than ever before beginning with a quick stop at The Joint as soon as today.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Austin, Tex.