The State of Chiropractic Care and the Opioid Crisis

Chiropractic Doctor Shawnee KS

We have found that the public is largely unaware of the impact chiropractic is having on the national opioid crisis. For years, chiropractic care has proven to reduce the use of opioid drugs. This article will update you on recent developments in the link between chiropractic care and the reduction of opioid drug use.
 

Addition of Foundation Chiropractic Progress to National Action Collaborative

The proven benefit of chiropractic care for the reduction of opioid use is so widely understood and accepted that the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress is now part of the interdisciplinary team Action Collaborative aimed at reversing national trends in opioid misuse, abuse, and overdose. Currently, there are 130 lives lost per day to opioid-related overdose. This collaborative team creates and shares evidence-based strategies to aid health professionals and community partners in educating the public about safer and more effective non-pharmacological care, including chiropractic care. This team has developed three opioid toolkits complete with white papers, press releases, infographics, social media content, and more for educational purposes.
 

Veterans Affairs Hires Doctor of Chiropractors And Expands Coverage

Full-time doctors of chiropractic care are now being added to Veterans Affairs facility teams in order to make treating pain without opioid drugs easier to access. This not only benefits patients by having easier access but also the other medical practitioners who now have access to the holistic, whole-body expertise of chiropractic doctors. This is a welcome stride forward in chiropractic medicine as well as integrative medicine.
 

Studies Prove Benefits of Chiropractic Care While Opioid Industry Fights Back

A 2019 meta-analysis study that includes over 62,000 people shows a 49% reduction in opioid medication prescriptions among those who utilized chiropractic care. Studies like this one and collaborative interdisciplinary teams like Action Collaborative are making their mark. The number of court cases against the opioid makers continues to rise. In fact, opioid drug producers are facing bankruptcy under the weight of these court cases. Drug makers and industry-backed nonprofits are fighting back against the health of Americans. These groups have collaborated to implement a 50-state campaign costing millions of dollars to weaken the measures by medical professionals and community groups aimed at stemming the tide of opioid prescriptions. While the fight of medical professionals and community partners is one of the safety and health of Americans now and generations to come, it appears the fight of the opioid industry is for their own monetary gain.

Chiropractic care for pain relief, mental health wellness, addiction recovery, and more has never been more necessary and accessible. Chiropractic care is cost-effective, personalized, and some of the highest quality medical care available. Contact a chiropractic doctor Shawnee, KS residents trust from LifeWorks.