Chiropractic Care vs. Opioids for Pain Relief

Pain is the typical reaction of our body to an injury, shock, or illness. If left untreated, chronic pain can also result in Chronic Pain Syndrome (CPS), which is hard to tackle. May it be a result of surgery, physical or mental trauma, or due to a terminal illness like cancer, chronic pain makes your body suffer for at least 10-12 weeks. It has a severe effect on physical as well as mental health and hampers the day-to-day functioning of patients. Opioids have been used as the most popular remedy for pain relief until recently when it came to light how Opioid overdose is proving to be fatal in the longer run. Chiropractic care has emerged as the top contender for the replacement of Opioids for pain relief.

Let us evaluate the feasibility and effectiveness of both these alternatives for chronic pain treatment-

What are Opioids?

Opioids are painkillers and drugs driven from the poppy plant. They are synthetic as well as natural in character. Mostly prescribed to reduce pain, Opioids encompass a vast number of medications based on poppy products. Physicians have been prescribing Opioids like Morphine, Fentanyl, Heroin, Opium, Methadone, etc. as a remedy for pain. Broadly, Opioids have two classified categories – long-acting pain medicines and short-acting pain medicines. They can be administered intravenously, orally, or as a rectal suppository.

Opioids travel in the bloodstream to the brain where they get affixed to specific receptors which are present on the surface of the cells of the brain. This process results in a chemical reaction in the brain, which causes the release of a chemical named dopamine by the neurons. Dopamine is a neurotransmitter which controls the reward centers and pleasure points of the brain. Thus with the triggering of dopamine, the patient stops feeling the pain and starts feeling happy. On the other side, Opioids is used to provide temporary pain relief and to alleviate ache. Studies have shown that the use of Opioids for long-term does not affect chronic pain.

Pros and Cons of Taking Opioids for Pain Relief

Various types of Opioids are highly effective in treating severe pain. They start acting on the body’s nervous system immediately to provide the patient with almost instant pain relief. This property of Opioid drugs makes them the ideal option for the treatment of acute pain in post-operative care as well as the chronic pain caused by terminal illnesses like cancer.

Excessive and long-term use of Opioids results in the excessive release of dopamine by neurotransmitters of the brain. This excessive release can lead to a powerful feeling of well-being and pleasure for the patient. These feelings last until the effects of Opioids wear off. Once the dose fades, the patient again starts craving for the feeling of happiness to escape the pain. Consequently, dependence and craving eventually result in Opioid addiction.

So, the patient starts consuming Opioid drugs even when the drug is no longer medically required. Also, delivering the Opioid medication to your body too quickly can put you at the risk of Opioid accidental overdose. Plus, frequent use of Opioids leads to a change in the brain’s chemistry, which causes increased drug tolerance. Increase in drug tolerance means that over some time, the dose of Opioids needs to be amplified to accomplish the same effect on the body.

What is Chiropractic Treatment?

Chiropractic treatment is a non-surgical treatment for remedying problems of the nervous system and the musculoskeletal system. The professional practitioner delivering this treatment is a chiropractor, and the primary form of therapy is an adjustment. A chiropractor does not administer drugs or medications. They help relieve the discomfort and pain by restoring the alignment of the patient’s musculoskeletal structure. It works as a drug-free alternative to healing the body after a traumatic event or an injury by restoring mobility. It is useful in providing pain relief in joints, muscles, connective tissue (ligaments, cartilage, and tendons) and bones. Especially relevant, chiropractic treatment and other conventional forms of medical treatment can be given in sync.

How is Chiropractic Treatment Beneficial for Pain Relief?

Chiropractic treatment uses spinal manipulation to provide relief from chronic pain. It is a popular method for dealing with lower back and neck problems. This treatment is one of two categories. The first chiropractic approach is Spinal Manipulation or Chiropractic Adjustment. It involves a short lever, high-velocity arm thrust to correct the structure and functioning of the abnormal vertebra, thus effectively reducing the pain and improving functionality.

The second approach is Chiropractic Mobilization. It consists of manipulation of lower velocity, stretching of muscles, and movement of joints to facilitate the improvement of motion in the affected areas. Both these approaches focus on improving the process of signal transmission through the nervous system by restoring the alignment of the spinal cord. The nerve signals are responsible for making your body feel the sensation of pain. So, by fixing the structure and function of the problematic nerve, chiropractic treatment relieves the pain of that particular part.

Conclusion

Chiropractic treatment will never have the same pace of impact as Opioid medications as the former is a non-surgical and non-medicinal way. The immediate action of Opioid medicines comes with a hefty price tag along with the risk of overdose and addiction. Moreover, Opioids can cause side effects like dry mouth, nausea, headache, confusion, and sleep deprivation. Chiropractic treatment, on the other side, is a safe and risk-free way of treating pain, which does not have significant side effects.

So, holistically speaking, Chiropractic treatment can be the first line of defense to fight against chronic pain. The American College of Physicians (ACP) has modified its guidelines recently and suggested the use of non-invasive, non-addictive, non-drug healing remedies before resorting to drug treatments. Along with these recommendations, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has suggested that doctors familiarize themselves with Chiropractic care and be open to the alternative of recommending it to patients after a thorough examination.

All in all, it is better to consider a multidisciplinary methodology consisting of alternative therapies like Chiropractic treatment for pain management issues before opting for dangerous medications like Opioids.