CHIROPRACTIC REDUCES OPIOID USE IN OUR VETERANS

Many of you know that I am a veteran of the United States Air Force.  As a Public Health Officer, I ensured the medical readiness of our Airmen so that each could effectively carry out the mission.  Physical fitness, vaccinations, malaria prophylaxis, a safe food supply and more were essential to maintaining our Airmen’s deployability.  Unfortunately, one thing that I could not prepare my Airmen for was the stress that this job put on their spine and nervous systems.

It is no secret that serving in the military is a physically and mentally demanding job.  Millions of troops have deployed and are now facing levels of stress and trauma never before seen in living memory.  Today, back and spinal injuries represent one of the leading causes of military medical retirements. Furthermore, our veterans are more susceptible to chronic pain, PTSD, smoking tobacco, and depression.   Unfortunately, the most common method of treating these health concerns has been medications, including opioids like oxycodone and hydrocodone. And, so, not surprisingly, many face a battle with substance abuse.  

There was a time that I would have supported whatever means necessary to help our troops.  But as I expanded my knowledge and education, I realized that treating symptoms is not the same as treating the root cause.  Treating the symptoms masks the real problem, leaving it to progress and worsen under the surface. Taking the time and energy to view a veteran’s health from a different perspective, instead, can bring about tremendous and more long-lasting improvement.  

In a recent study in Pain Medicine, scientists studied opioid use among veterans before and after chiropractic care.  Thirty-one percent (31%) were prescribed opioids, 56% were in moderate-to-severe pain, and 20% were diagnosed with a substance abuse disorder.  Researchers found that veterans’ opioid usage dropped significantly within the first month of care! These astounding results highlight the incredible power of chiropractic to foster true health and healing be eliminating the root cause of pain and dysfunction!

We at Rising Chiropractic value our veterans and are dedicated to ensuring they and their families have access to regular principled chiropractic care.  We are an authorized community provider with the Veteran’s Administration, and we have programs available to improve the affordability of care for those not in the VA system.  We do this because our veterans deserve the best.

Lisi AJ, Corcoran KL, Derycke EC, et al. Opioid Use Among Veterans of Recent Wars Receiving Veterans Affairs Chiropractic Care. Pain Medicine. 2018;19(suppl_1). doi:10.1093/pm/pny114.

Veterans Services. International Chiropractors Association. http://www.chiropractic.org/veterans-services/.