During National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) in October, the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) will bring attention to the public health crisis caused by the overuse of prescription painkillers with the theme #PainFreeNation. The campaign is part of the chiropractic profession’s ongoing efforts to educate the public about the value of exhausting other forms of care for acute and chronic pain before resorting to such higher risk options as opioids.

“Opioid medications involve the risk of overuse and addiction,” says ACA President Anthony Hamm. “Beyond this, prescription drugs that numb pain may convince a patient that a musculoskeletal condition is less severe than it is, or that it has healed. This misunderstanding can lead to overexertion, a delay in the healing process and even permanent injury.”

Hamm notes that people in pain should be informed of all management strategies, including non-drug approaches such as chiropractic, to reduce their risk of overuse and addiction. 

 “Each patient is unique, and care plans should be tailored to focus on what is the safest, most effective treatment for the individual,” Hamm says. “Chiropractic physicians stand ready to work together with medical physicians to help address this epidemic that has caused unnecessary suffering, enormous loss of human potential and massive financial and personal costs.”

Earlier this year, the Joint Commission, which certifies more than 20,000 health care organizations and programs in the United States, revised its pain management standard to include chiropractic services and acupuncture. The American Chiropractic Association is the largest professional association in the United States representing doctors of chiropractic. For more information, visit ACAToday.org.

Local Chiropractic Resources

Dr. Patricia Downey, Mt Kisco and White Plains, 914.886.2011, PersonalizedPainRelief.com

Dr. Jodi Kennedy, Mahopac, 845.628.7233; LiveBetterNaturally.info

Dr. Jeffrey Saffir, Poughkeepsie, 845.489.6020; painfreebody.com

Dr. Leigh Damkohler, Yonkers; 914.523.7947