A Drug-Free Approach to Back Pain Recovery

Chiropractic is centered on the concept of enabling your body to naturally heal through spinal adjustments and lifestyle changes that promote wellness. For Dr. Slater, this means working to reestablish your body's natural functioning to avoid the need for medications or surgery. We see that many of our Saint Paul patients are pleased to find a natural answer for their health problems.

One advantage of chiropractic therapy is that it helps people minimize or eliminate the use of drugs. Medications are commonly issued to individuals who have back problems. This is such a serious concern that the American Academy of Neurology (AAN) issued a news release stating that opioid (painkiller) risks outweigh the advantages when prescribed for back pain.

Some of the most well-known narcotics, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, include hydrocodone (Vicodin), oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), morphine, and codeine. Statistics presented by the AAN cite the fact that roughly half of the patients taking these drugs for a period of three months are still taking them five years later. This can further complicate the difficulty of back pain and healing, especially if an narcotic addiction arises.

Contrast that to chiropractic which involves natural healing and the advantages are crystal clear. While a pill might be helpful at temporarily relieving the symptoms of a health problem, it's not a solution to the problem. A drug won't mend your injured back; it will only mask the pain.

How Can Chiropractic Treatment Help You?

Dr. Slater will first examine you to get to the source of your back problems and then work with you to address the spinal interference -- without risky drugs.

If you're ready to get out of pain, naturally, give our Saint Paul office a call at (651) 699-3366 to make an appointment with Dr. Slater.

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