DON’T MASK THE PROBLEM OF BACK PAIN

by | Ask the Doctor

Q: I get back pain the same as everyone else. I have had it for 25 years. Why would I not just continue to treat it with my pain medication?

A: With all the medication that’s available over the counter, and with the press of time, it’s all too common that people ‘treat’ their back pain—or pain in the neck, shoulder, other joints or headache—with a tablet. In the long run, you’re not doing yourself a favor. Treating a symptom, but not the cause, could put you in jeopardy.

A recent study in the medical journal Neurology that included 32,067 adults and followed them for 11 years found that regular use of a pain-reliever significantly increased the risk for development of chronic pain. Without addressing the underlying cause of pain—and for some types of discomfort there is no successful medical treatment—the situation is never going to improve. Chiropractic treatment, focusing on the realignment of the spine and joints that are not functioning properly, has been proven successful in correcting many ailments and musculoskeletal problems. The focus becomes fixing what causes the pain.

Chiropractic treatment revolves around the notion that a body functioning properly is better able to heal itself and likely to degenerate less rapidly. It does not involve the use of medication or surgery. While over-the-counter medications are largely safe, non-prescription drug use can still lead to problems. There are many cases that benefit from short term use of medication, especially if it is to help manage pain while undergoing proper physical medicine treatment to fix the problems. Unfortunately, there are times that a person’s condition is so bad they have no choice but to stay medicated to not feel intense pain. This is very rare in my opinion and likely not all avenues of help have been pursued.

I am not a medical doctor and am not trying to offer advice on the use of your medications… you must consult your MD to change your prescription usage. If you’re suffering from persistent pain, make an appointment to see a chiropractor and see if it can make a difference for you.

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Hours

Monday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday: 7:30 AM - 1:00 PM
Wednesday: 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday: 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM
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Voted Best Morgantown Chiropractic Office 2018, 2019, and 2021!

Voted Best Morgantown Chiropractic Office 2018, 2019, and 2021!