Prescriptions of Opioids Pre and Post Back Surgery for Easley Back Pain, Chiropractic Care May Reduce Rxs and Pain
The use of opioid pain medication for pain has been a familiar treatment. Its use is a little too much so as medicine today is even trying to slow its prescription. For back surgery patients, it has been quite common, both before and/or after back surgery. Though today the use of opioids is being less supported, many back pain sufferers still receive opioid prescriptions from their healthcare providers. Young Chiropractic would enjoy being the first healthcare provider Easley back pain and neck pain patients visit and truly embrace the opportunity to care for the post-surgical continued pain patients - with or without opioid prescriptions - who come to us with the same or returned pain in the same spinal area where their surgery was. We are ready to help.
BACK SURGERY OUTCOME PREDICTORS: # of Rx Prescribers and # of Rx Prescriptions
Very few rush into back surgery. Back pain sufferers often look for help from various healthcare providers before surgery is contemplated and/or scheduled. 66.9% of patients in a retrospective study of patients who experienced single-level fusion surgeries retained one or less opioid prescription prescribers before surgery while 33.1% had more than one opioid prescribers. The more pre-surgical opioid prescribers in a back surgery patient’s case was a predictor of greater improvement of post-surgical back pain. The more pre-surgical opioid prescriptions a patient used was a predictor for poorer surgical outcomes including lower improvement in back VAS pain scores, leg VAS pain scores, Oswestry Disability Index scores, and for more post-surgical opioid prescriptions, prescribers, and morphine milligram equivalents. An attention-getting and seemingly side note to the study was that if a nonoperative spine provider was included in the case, a better improvement in leg pain VAS scores was seen. (1) Chiropractic is a profession of nonoperative spine providers! We chiropractors are prepared and well-trained to help manage back pain before and after surgery and give patients an opportunity to lower their opioid use for pain management.
CHIROPRACTIC POST-SURGICAL CARE AND OPIOID USE
For patients who underwent back surgery to find that they experience back pain in the same area that the surgery was supposed to fix, the return of pain can be frustrating. Some got back the medical model and get new pain medication prescriptions or prolonged prescriptions for the post-surgery meds. Others turn to chiropractic care. A recent study of such patients who sought chiropractic care with chiropractors who are certified in Cox® Technic spinal manipulation (manual spinal decompression manipulation) stated that of the 59 participants in the study, 11 entered the study using opioid medications. Eight of them self-reported that they reduced or discontinued their use. Three said they continued their use. (2) This is hopeful for many post-surgical continued pain patients that not having to take pain meds as the only way to pain relief may be possible. Young Chiropractic is Easley’s post-surgical back pain provider to see for Cox® Technic treatment.
CONTACT Young Chiropractic
Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Marc Baker on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson as he describes his use of The Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management in delivering relief for a military veteran with back pain after back surgery.
Make your Easley chiropractic appointment today. If you’ve had back surgery - currently taking pain meds, opioids, or not - we are looking to seeing and helping you.
