Opioid Use Alternative and Dangers

​Opioid use in Australia and internationally has been increasing rapidly over the last 2 decades (1). Usually it is associated with a long history of pain, and patients are looking for an answer to help address chronic or severe pain. Patients may be more likely to be given short-acting and weak opioids, but the proportion of people given strong opioids has increased over time (1). Do you or a loved one use any form of opioids? This is an important article that could make the world of difference to you.
 
“Rates of opioid use in Australia have remained high since 2013, with approximately 3 million adults using opioids and over 1.9 million adults initiating opioids each year.” (1)
 
The increased use has paralleled with increases in opioid-related morbidity and mortality, including dependence, hospitalisation and overdose (1). Chronic opioid therapy has been associated with constipation, sleep-disordered breathing, sleep disturbance, nausea, vomiting, fractures, HPA (hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal) dysregulation, hormonal imbalance, menstrual cycle issues and other adverse effects (2)(3). All of these potential adverse effects is the risk that people take to try to help with the management of pain that is severe or chronic.
 
In a recent research article where a systemic review and meta-analysis was conducted, it was demonstrated that there is an inverse association between chiropractic use and opioid receipt among patients with spinal pain (4). So chiropractic users had much lower odds of receiving or requiring to have an opioid prescription. This indicates that chiropractic care may lower the need for patients to seek an opioid prescription for spinal pain management.
 
So if you want to find out if chiropractic care may help manage spinal pain for you or your loved ones, have a chat with one of our chiropractors to see how they can assist.
 
“It is better to try natural measures first when trying to address issues in regards to health”

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