Another Reason To Choose Chiropractic? Chiropractic Care Reduces Dependence On Medication [Research]

March 12, 2017Dr. Grant Radermacher

According to Data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:

• Nearly 50% of Americans are currently taking at least one prescription drug, up 5% from just 10 years ago.
• 1 out of every 5 Americans are on at least three prescription drugs simultaneously.
• There are about 700,000 emergency room visits every year caused by side effects and drug interactions from pharmaceuticals that were prescribed and taken properly.
• The rate of Americans addicted to prescribed pain killers is slowly rising every year, to the point that more Americans die each year from overdoses of prescription pain killers than illegal drugs such as hisoin and cocaine.
• Americans compose only about 5% of the world population, but consume almost half of the world’s pharmaceutical drug supply.

Is this a problem?

Based on the drug interactions on the long lists of medications we see brought into our clinic every week by Brookfield residents, you bet it is. Every year tens of thousands of individuals closely follow the directions on the bottle of their latest prescription drug only to end up hospitalized due to a serious side effect or drug interaction.

Long-term use of pain medication can actually worsen the symptoms they were intended to reduce in what’s called a “rebound reaction”. “Rebound” headaches, for example, are a relatively new phenomenon and describe long-standing migraine or tension headaches caused by taking painkillers daily or on a regular basis.

So what does this have to do with chiropractic?

It’s simple. Because chiropractors don’t rely on medication to achieve the intended results of their treatment, chiropractic care cannot add to this problem. In fact, research has shown that those who maintain regular chiropractic adjustments are far less likely to overuse medication.

Not adding another drug or another potential drug interaction is one very important reason that many people decide that it’s time to try chiropractic. They want to step away from the drug-dependence of their usual health care. They want less pain, better movement, and a more responsive body without the risk of putting another chemical in their system.

Are you ready to reduce your dependence on medications and find permanent relief from your pain? To make an appointment at Ascent Chiropractic, call 262-345-4166 or schedule an appointment with our online scheduling app.

Gu Q, Dillon CF, Burt VL. Prescription drug use continues to increase: U.S. prescription drug data for 2007-2008. NCHS data brief, no 42. Hyattsville, MD: National Center for Health Statistics. 2010.
Meeker WC, Haldeman S. Chiropractic: a profession at the crossroads of mainstream and alternative medicine. Ann Intern Med. Feb 5 2002;136(3):216-227.