Playing the odds can be fun.
We might choose relatives’ birthdays in Powerball or hit the blackjack tables on vacation. But there are certain odds you never want to play.
For the first time in our nation’s history, the odds of dying from an opioid overdose (1:96) exceed the odds of dying in a car crash (1:103). You may avoid texting, eating or putting on makeup when you drive to lower your risk of crashing, but the only way to reduce your risk entirely is to avoid all vehicles of every kind, forever.
Impossible, right?
However, it is possible to avoid every risk associated with prescription opioid use by learning to manage your pain without medication.
The Root of Pain is in Your Brain
It may seem like back pain starts in your back, neck pain starts in your neck and knee pain starts in your knee.
In reality, pain actually begins in your nervous system. Your brain and spinal cord are the command centers for the rest of your body. The pain you feel when you catch your toe on the edge of your bed has less to do with your toe and more to do with the signals that are sent from your toe to your brain where they are interpreted as a sharp, throbbing pain. At that point, your body naturally releases opioid chemicals to disrupt the pain signals and help your brain return to a more relaxed state.
How an Opioid Works
Prescription opioids work the same way your body’s natural chemicals do. By binding to the chemical receptors in your brain, these medicines block pain signals from ever reaching it.
However, there are two inherent problems with this pain relief method.
First, the more opioids you introduce to your brain, the more your brain loses its ability to respond to them. The less reaction your brain has, the more opioids it takes to achieve the same result.
Second, taking prescription medication does not treat the underlying cause of your pain. You may have temporary relief, but your function will never improve as long as you avoid treating the root cause.
The Not-So-Secret Solution? Chiropractic Care
Chiropractic care addresses pain in the two ways opioids fail.
By gently realigning the spine, nerve signals can then travel freely to and from the brain without interruption, effectively stopping pain signals at the source.
But that’s not all.
Chiropractic care improves function and range of motion everywhere in the body, giving you the ability to bend, lift, stretch, carry, and otherwise resume your life.
Chiropractic Care is scientifically proven to:
- Reduce the amount of pain you experience
- Improve your body’s function
- Promote healing
Chiropractic Care is Not:
- A fast fix. Many of our patients experience relief after their first treatment, but chiropractic care is a cumulative process. The better you follow your treatment plan, the more long-term benefit you will experience.
- Magic. Our office is staffed with highly trained, highly skilled medical professionals. We offer customized, multi-disciplinary treatment plans that relieve your pain, improve your function and enhance your overall quality of life.
For more information on how chiropractic care can help you eliminate pain without prescriptions, call our office today or schedule your comprehensive exam with x-rays online.
