The Opioid Crisis: How Did We End Up Here?

About 30 years ago, there was a fundamental shift in medicine regarding how pain was understood and treated. The number of people with chronic pain seemed to rise, and it was thought that the options to address the pain weren’t adequate.

As doctors paid more attention to assessing pain, they also paid more attention to treating pain. Opioid medication was prescribed more frequently for chronic lower back or neck pain. Until then, opioids were only prescribed for severe pain after surgery or advanced-stage cancer. But, in the early 1990s, it all changed. New opioid formulas were promoted as less addictive, and physicians were encouraged to prescribe these drugs far more liberally than before.

Prescribing these drugs very quickly led to a variety of problems. First, patients rapidly adapted to the drugs, requiring larger and larger doses to achieve the same effect over time. Second, these drugs weren’t very effective at addressing chronic pain. They provided short-term relief but became less useful for many people as time passed. Finally, these drugs provided a euphoric feeling that quickly led to addiction. • Starting in the 1990’s, doctors were encouraged to prescribe opioids for chronic pain.

• 59% of opioid users report having experienced back pain.

• In the US alone, we have averaged over 130 deaths per day due to opioids.

Now, decades later, we are consumed with the opioid crisis. Over 130 people die daily from opioids, and over 40% are from prescribed opioids. If there is a silver lining to this crisis, we now realize that the answers and treatment of chronic pain are rarely found in a bottle. Many leading healthcare organizations are now recommending non-pharmacological approaches to treating chronic pain- including chiropractic. If you want to explore a drug-free approach to pain relief, schedule an appointment with us today.