Opioid Pain Control Drugs like Opioids: Are They Effective for Back Pain?
Opioids are in the news. The La Grande opioid epidemic is a big item. Opioids are prescribed for pain relief of all sorts of pain. Opioids for back pain relief are a common prescription. But today, non-drug alternatives are wanted. Non-drug alternative care like La Grande chiropractic care reduces the La Grande back pain these opioids have been prescribed for and often minus the adverse side-effects.
DRUG USE BEFORE BACK SURGERY
Pharmacological treatment possibilities – drugs – for easing chronic low back pain are the focus of much attention today. Researchers investigate these and other options as to what works best to comfort La Grande back pain patients. The effect of drugs like oxycodone (an opioid drug), clobazam and imipramine on chronic low back pain are hard to foresee. One article suggested that patients who are more sensitive to hot and cold respond better to imipramine. (1) Another described that electroacupuncture was more cost effective than NSAIDs and suggested as an alternative for chronic low back pain treatment. (2) A third wrote that most drugs - paracetamol (acetaminophen), NSAIDs, muscle relaxants, antidepressants, anticonvulsants, opioids, and other (new) drugs - offered small to moderate and short lasting effects compared with placebo. And there were side-effects. (3) Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC cares for many La Grande back pain sufferers seeking pain relief without drugs. And the La Grande chiropractic care is helpful for most.
DRUG USE AFTER BACK SURGERY
La Grande chronic low back pain guides some sufferers to lumbar spine fusion surgery. Patients who choose this option to get relief of with their back pain often take opioids prior to surgery hoping – even expecting – that they will not require opioids after the surgery. Reality is different. 77.1% of pre-operative opioid patients continued to use opioids long-term post-operatively: 13.8% of them used opioids off and off; 9.1% discontinued using them or used them for a short time after surgery. Of patients who had not used opioids before surgery, 34.4% used a lower dose after surgery, and 44.8% consumed a higher long-term dose. 12.8% became long-term users of opioids. The researchers decided that lumbar spine fusion rarely interrupted the long-term opioid use and actually increased the risk of taking them long-term. (4) Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC offers La Grande chiropractic care both pre-operatively and post-operatively to reduce La Grande back pain and for some prevent La Grande back surgery.
OPTIONS TO DRUGS FOR BACK PAIN
What are the options for La Grande back pain patients if opioids are to be avoided? Guidelines have been developed for opioid alternatives. Cost, intervention availability, and patient preferences are considered. First and foremost education and reassurance that La Grande back pain relief is possible and advice to remain active is important. The La Grande low back pain sufferer would benefit from learning more about self-care options. For acute low back pain and neck pain patients without any concerning underlying issue, exercise, manual therapy, heat and NSAIDs are recommended. For chronic low back pain sufferers who don’t present with serious underlying issues, exercise, yoga, cognitive behavioral therapy, acupuncture, biofeedback, relaxation, massage, manual therapy, rehab, NSAIDS, acetaminophen and antidepressants are recommended. Patients with radiculopathy (sciatic leg pain) can use exercise, spinal manipulation, or NSAIDS. Benzodiazepines, botulinum toxin injection, systemic corticosteroids, cervical collar, electrical muscle stimulation, diathermy, TENS and traction are not recommended because of research showing uselessness. (5) Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC offers La Grande chiropractic care including Cox Technic flexion distraction decompression treatment that is research-documented to be successful for La Grande back pain relief.
CONTACT Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Roy Siegel on the Back Doctor’s Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he shares how Cox Technic relieves back pain for his performing arts patients without drugs so they can continue performing!
Schedule your La Grande chiropractic appointment with Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC today. The opioid epidemic may be limited for La Grande back pain sufferers who come for La Grande chiropractic care at Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC…and chiropractic may develop into being the opioid-alternative news!
