Eighty percent of Americans will experience lower back pain at some point in their lives.[1] It’s the second most common reason that adults see a doctor and the most common reason for disability.[2] Lower back pain is one of the most common reasons for an opioid prescription.[3]
Opioids are prescribed for all sorts of moderate-to-severe pain and are often prescribed following a surgery or injury. While opioid medications can be an important part of treatment, they come with serious risks. Perhaps even more importantly, opioids do not treat the cause of your pain, they simply mask the pain, often at great risk.
In 2017, there were 58 opioid prescriptions written for every 100 Americans.[4] In the same year, an estimated 1.7 million individuals in the United States suffered from substance use disorders related to prescription opioid pain relievers.[5] More than 130 people died every day from opioid-related drug overdoses in 2016 and 2017, according to the US Department of Health & Human Services.[6] Everyone who takes opioids is at risk of developing addiction. As many as 1 in 4 receiving prescription opioids long term in a primary care setting struggles with addiction.[7] Your personal history and the length of time you use opioids play a role, but it is impossible to predict with certainty who is vulnerable to eventual dependence on and abuse of these drugs.
People who become dependent on opioids may experience withdrawal symptoms when they stop taking them. Dependence is often coupled with tolerance, meaning that opioid users need to take increasingly larger doses of the medication for the same effect. This increases the likelihood of addiction and overdose. At the same time, opioids are designed to mask the pain, meaning the root cause of the pain is not being dealt with.
Therefore, despite how frequently they are prescribed, opioids are not an effective treatment method. In fact, even as the amount of opioids prescribed and sold for pain has increased, the amount of pain that Americans report has not similarly changed according to the CDC.[8] Even worse, taking opioids for lower back pain, and in fact pain caused by any injury, often means the cause of the pain is being ignored.
Thankfully, there are non-addictive solutions that do address the root cause of pain. At Divine Spine Yorba Linda in Orange County, California, we offer a unique chiropractic spine treatment which is more spine therapy, that is performed through electronic vertebral alignment (EVA). Our practitioners utilize the EVA system to help your body heal more quickly, stabilize, regenerate, and achieve optimal health, wellness, and performance levels. EVA is a non-addictive treatment option that goes to the core of what’s causing your discomfort.
At Divine Spine Yorba Linda, every patient is first evaluated by our spine doctor. Upon review, we will work with you to create a customized treatment plan just for you. Our personalized chiropractic spine therapy treatments do not involve any twisting or popping of the spine; our practice achieves maximum safety and comfort while also being highly effective.
Our ultimate goal is to provide you with a gentle and measurable treatment plan that provides you with a solution that fixes the root cause of your pain and discomfort. Let us work with you to find an opioid-free solution for your neck and back pain.
[1] https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/Patient-Caregiver-Education/Fact-Sheets/Low-Back-Pain-Fact-Sheet
[2] https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9516-back-pain-basics
[3] https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2685622
[4] https://www.cdc.gov/drugoverdose/data/prescribing.html
[5] https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/18/health/opioid-crisis-fast-facts/index.html
[6] https://www.cnn.com/2017/09/18/health/opioid-crisis-fast-facts/index.html
[7] https://www.aha.org/factsheet/2018-02-20-prescription-opioids-what-you-need-know