Pain medication is seemingly the easiest way to manage your pain. You simply pop a pill and after a short time you feel better. But in reality, taking pain medications on a regular basis only masks your problem without actually addressing it – plus it can lead to negative side effects down the road. Additionally, with the opioid crisis in today’s world, it makes it even easier to become hooked on pain medications.
Addressing the true cause of your pain may not be appealing since it does not make the pain go away in an instant like medications can, but it benefits you far more over the long term, which is why many people are opting to explore holistic pain management today, including chiropractic. If you battle chronic pain and are tired of popping pills on the regular to bandaid your pain, it is time to consider chiropractic care as an option.
Why Pain Medications are not the Best Solution for Your Health
Whether you reach for non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that you can find over the counter or are prescribed a prescription painkiller, there is a chance you are subjecting your body to risks each time you take your medication. Some of the side effects and risks associated with excessive pain medication use include:
- Dependence
- Nausea
- Liver damage
- Allergic reactions
- Upset stomach
- Increased risk of heart attack and stroke
Opioid medications come with more side effects when taken regularly, including drowsiness, constipation, nausea and vomiting, anxiety, irritability and addiction is also a risk.
How Chiropractors in Tucker, Georgia can Help
Chiropractic care is a more natural and completely individualized approach to pain management. It may seem unappealing upfront because of the amount of time it will take to reach a point of true natural pain management but the appointments, stretches, exercises and conditioning are all worth it and will pay off in the long run. Plus, it is not associated with major side effects and can be a long-term solution for getting to the real causes of your chronic pain.
Chiropractors in Tucker offer personalization, which is one of the biggest assets of this form of natural pain management. Rather than just blocking pain indiscriminately, a Tucker chiropractor is able to look into the exact cause of the problem you are experiencing and can devise a solution that is targeted to meet your body’s unique needs. Spinal manipulation is often administered to correct misalignments (or subluxations) in the vertebrae. Subluxations are often to blame for everything from neck and back pain to indigestion or carpal tunnel. They can also be related to other ailments that may seem to be completely unrelated to the spine, including mental fatigue or insomnia.
Chiropractic treatments for pain may include the combination of manipulation and the implementation of an exercise regimen with therapeutic stretching. This may be necessary because key muscle groups may need to be strengthened to improve blood flow and encourage healing so you can better manage your pain naturally.
3 Bonus Ways to Kick your Reliance on Pain Meds Naturally
#1: Exercise
Regular exercise is one of the best tickets on the train to pain management. It is often free or low cost and you don’t need a lot. Regular exercise can help your body to attain optimum function, enabling your body to release more happy-making hormones (or endorphins), known as Serotonin and feel-good dopamine. When your body is pumped with these, pain is more likely to dissipate.
#2: Reduce Stress
Stress intensifies chronic pain. Negative feelings like stress, anger, anxiety and depression can increase your body’s sensitivity to it. When you learn to take control of your stress, you may experience some pain from chronic relief.
Try listening to calm, soothing music to lift your mood and to make living with your chronic pain more bearable. You could also try progressive muscle relaxation, which is another beneficial technique that promotes relaxation and can help to lower your stress levels, thus potentially leading less pain.
#3: Cut back on Alcohol and Smoking
Alcohol can contribute to sleep problems. People who suffer from chronic pain already suffer from difficulty sleeping so adding another factor that can adversely impact one’s quality of sleep is simply a bad idea. Make a decision to cut back on alcohol (or eliminate it completely) to improve your quality of life.
You can truly and naturally fight against chronic pain with chiropractic care and kick your dependence on pain medications. Reach out to your chiropractor to get started!