The opioid epidemic has slowly overtaken America. What started out as a method of treating patients with chronic pain has now become a menace. People are addicted, even though they may no longer inpain, and turning to street drugs in order to feed their habits. Police officers and other first responders carry opioid overdose reversal drugs on them, despite public outcry, and things just seem to be getting worse. People with actual chronic pain, such as the type that stems from arthritis, either can no longer get the medications that make their lives bearable, or they are forced into pain management and physical therapy. The end result is a major problem that seems to have very little in the way of a solution – until you consider chiropractic care.
Chiropractors Treat Pain and Inflammation
Many people with chronic pain conditions never think of going to a chiropractor. It just doesn’t dawn on them that these medical specialists can do more than just realign the spine. This is due to the fact the profession is still misunderstood. In reality, a chiropractor can relieve chronic pain and inflammation without the help of any drugs. They are trained in the fine art of pain relief, and yes, realignments are a major part of this. However, there are other factors at play, most of which a chiropractor will inform you of in order to help with your arthritis and other types of pain.
Whole Body Wellness Not Medications
The first time that you go to a chiropractor, they will sit down and ask you a lot of questions. Some of them may seem unusual, but it’s important for the practitioner to know whether or not you’ve been under a lot of stress or how much sleep you get each night. They need to know what types of food you eat. Of course, many of these questions will be about the pain that you’re in, and x-rays may possibly be taken if medically necessary in order to further diagnose any issues. Basically, before your chosen chiropractor even attempts to relieve your pain, they will be able to discern any and all of the potential causes – beyond basic arthritis and inflammation.
Why does this matter? Well, your pain might be caused by the breakdown of your cartilage, but it might be exacerbated by a lack of sleep or a lot of stress. Certain foods can wreak havoc on your system, making your inflammation worse. A chiropractor looks at your overall wellness in order to find additional solutions to your pain. They might suggest cutting certain foods and beverages out of your system or even getting more sleep at night. If stress is an issue, they might have some good solutions and suggestions. By getting to every root cause of your pain, a chiropractor is more likely to help prevent it in the future. Of course, a realignment is a part of this, but you’ll feel better overall once you make those suggested lifestyle changes. Compare this to a pain management physician, who simply provides medications.
Deconditioning Yourself and Helping Your Pain
People, in general, are conditioned to take medications to help with their problems. Pain? “Here, take pain medication.” However, there’s much more to it than that. The pain might be caused by a diet full of foods that simply aren’t good for you, a lack of exercise, or far too much stress. By making overall lifestyle changes recommended by a chiropractor, you’re deconditioning yourself from quick fixes and setting the scene for some real pain relief. No addictive medications required.
