An Alternative to Opioids for That Pain in Your Neck

Written by NewsUSA

Your body does quite an amazing balancing act with your head

(NewsUSA) - Your body does quite an amazing balancing act with your head.

Which is to say, if you imagine a 10-pound mass (your head) sitting atop a column of bones (your neck) -- with split-second movements in all directions -- you'll begin to understand why neck pain ranks as one of humankind's most common and persistent problems.

There are all sorts of neck pain: the temporary type you have after sleeping awkwardly, the sore type you have following exercise, or the nagging type often associated with a car accident. At least in the first case, the general consensus can be summed up thusly: "Stop doing what makes it worse."

Chronic pain, however, is a different matter.Not only can it be debilitating, but -- since prescription drugs are often used to address the condition -- it's also at the center of the opioid crisis now roiling the nation.With drugs like OxyContin, Norco and Vicodin carrying the risk of addiction and even death, both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have urged consumers and healthcare providers alike to seek non-pharmacologic alternatives for managing such pain.

One of the most popular choices? Drug-free chiropractic care, which boasts high patient-satisfaction scores and is covered by most insurance."Doctors of chiropractic are well-trained and highly educated in the structure and function of the human body," says Sherry McAllister, DC, executive vice president of the not-for-profit Foundation for Chiropractic Progress. "They use hands-on techniques to help enhance neurological control, flexibility, muscle strength, and range of motion."

To locate a nearby doctor of chiropractic, visit f4cp.com/findadoctor

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