Blog

Did you know that 1in 5 Americans lives with chronic pain?

With those kinds of numbers it’s no wonder there’s an opioid addiction epidemic. Instead of looking for the perfect magic pill to ‘cure’ the pain, it is my goal to turn people who live with pain to other ways of diminishing and eliminating pain so that they can get on with their lives.

I was happy to see that Consumer Reports did a June cover article addressing chronic pain in this country and the most current and effective ways of dealing with it. In an attempt to curtail the use of opioids, the article is very clear that is not the route to take. In the article, David Tauben, M.D., chief of pain medicine at the University of Washington School of Medicine, says that, “Pain is an alert, a signal from the brain that there’s something really wrong you need to pay attention to for your survival, be that a rock in your shoe or a broken ankle. Typically the pain fades after you address the problem and the body has a chance to heal.” He goes on to add, “But sometimes the nervous system malfunctions. It gets stuck in the position of ‘I hurt and I’m in danger.’” According to Dr. Tauben, “Medications can help ease the pain, but calming the nervous system requires non-drug measures.” (Real Pain Relief Now, Consumer Reports, June 2019)

If you can get your hands on a copy of the June issue of Consumer Reports, I highly recommend reading the entire article. The point of view is in keeping with what I believe is the best method for diminishing and relieving chronic pain. That method includes a combination of treatments such as mindfulness and hands-on healing methods such as chiropractic, massage, acupuncture, as well as physical activities such as yoga, walking, swimming and tai chi. They also recommend getting appropriate amounts of sleep and psychological treatment in the form of cognitive behavioral therapy.

The good news is that more and more people are realizing the devastating effects of opioids.

If someone you love is dependent on or addicted to opioid drugs, please seek help before it’s too late. If you would like to learn more about the Opioid Crisis as it relates to awareness, prevention and treatment or schedule a corporate or organization seminar contact us at DrJohnRosa.com. Here you will learn how to connect with the leading experts on the crisis and how to help your community stay safe.