How to avoid opioids? See a PT first for your back pain

The negatives associated with Opioid use is well recognized today. In fact, in the US it has often been referred to as an epidemic. Current research found that for patients with low back pain, seeing a PT (physical therapist) first reduced their chance of getting an opioid prescription by a whopping 87%. That is  quite a substantial number. Additionally, there was an overall reduction in the cost of care, and the use of other medical procedures.

In a lot of way this is not surprising. Like your physician, PT's have the education and skill sets required to identify why you are having the pain. Equally as important, they have the skills to help correct the reason for it. While an MD might be able to prescribe medication to reduce your pain levels, that often doesn't solve the problem itself. It only masks the pain and then the ongoing need for medication is thus established. A PT on the other hand has the skills to alleviate the cause of your pain. Whether it's stretching that tight muscle, or getting the joint alignment corrected. That will remove the cause of the pain, and the thus any need for medication.

It's all well and good that we have medication to reduce our pain levels. There certainly is a time and place for that. Though, the truth is we'd be better off seeking care to alleviate the cause of the pain, rather than just trying to mask it by ingesting potentially addictive substances. If you're having back pain and want to manage it without medications (or if you're using medication and want to get off of it) than call us today!  (907) 561-1711