The other effective and well researched method for care of pain, according to the AHCRP guideline, is the use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). Drugs classified as NSAIDs include aspirin, ibuprophen, ingredients in Aleve, Naprox, Voltaren and Indocin, and others. Many of the negative side effects caused by the use of NSAIDs are fairly well-known- gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, ulceration, perforation, and (less commonly) hepatitis, asthma, and tinnitus. Unfortunately, many people do not realize the extent of the danger. An article in The New England Journal of Medicine labeled the deaths caused by complications from these drugs a “silent epidemic.” Dr. M. Michael Wolfe, of the Boston University School of Medicine and one of the article’s authors, believes that if deaths resulting from complications of NSAIDs were given their own classification, they “would constitute the 15th most common cause of death in the United States.”
The risk of adverse side effects as a result of NSAID use increases with prolonged use. The suffering from chronic pain are often the ones repeatedly reaching for relief through drugs.
Further, while these drugs may be effective at relieving pain, they do note restore mobility and joint function. This is yet another reason that makes chiropractic superior to NSAID use. Your chiropractor will work with you to relieve pain WHILE restoring mobility and function of joints, an essential part of the healing process. And Chiropractic is natural, drug-free, and non-invasive.
Conclusion
Chiropractic is safe and effective for many causes of chronic pain. Your Doctor of Chiropractic evaluates your treatment and progress on a regular basis and will keep you aware of your progress. If the Doctor of Chiropractic finds that another option would be better for your condition, a referral to the appropriate health care provider will be made.