The Friday Five – September is National Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month
Follow and join the conversation with #ThinkChiropractic and #PainFreeNation.
Each September, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (@F4CP), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to educating the public about the value of chiropractic care, sponsors National Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month. The annual designation is an opportunity to raise awareness about the dangers of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) pain medications, along with the benefits of drug-free options, such as chiropractic care, to safely and effectively relieve acute, subacute and chronic back pain. This week’s Friday Five looks at some truths about pain and pain management.
Women Experience Pain Differently than Men
Women experience pain differently than men and yet medical and pharmaceutical research that affects both genders is often conducted only with male participants. For example, 70% of people with chronic pain are women, but more than 84% of pain studies are conducted on male mice or men.
While understanding gender pain differences continues to improve, it must be up to women to be open, honest and comprehensive with their doctors of chiropractic and other medical providers about their health concerns and care. #ThinkChiropractic https://t.co/iS0dA9NKvK pic.twitter.com/ve1QAhgFXj
— F4CP (@F4CP) August 13, 2019
Lack of Sleep can Impact Pain Levels
It’s a well-known fact that pain causes sleep deprivation, but not so widely known is the fact that lack of sleep can impact pain levels. Sleep saboteurs, including improper sleeping postures, such as stomach sleeping, can cause health problems ranging from neck and back pain to sleep apnea.
It’s a well-known fact that pain causes sleep deprivation, but not so widely known is the fact that lack of sleep can impact pain levels. Even less known is the importance of proper sleeping posture.https://t.co/I9lIX5A30p pic.twitter.com/f2CWajB61w
— IL Chiropractic Soc. (@ILChiro) May 10, 2019
Death Rates from Drug Overdose are Up
Opioid Rx is down, but death rates from drug overdoses are up, indicating that more providers, health insurers and patients need to be educated and guided toward non-pharmacologic care options to manage pain.
A new study published in Population and Development Review, “found that drug overdose death rates in the U.S. are 3.5 times higher on average when compared to 17 other high-income countries.” https://t.co/NAoTjLKEVm
— Addiction Policy Forum (@AddictionPolicy) March 7, 2019
WHO Recommends Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions First
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends managing low back pain initially with non-pharmaceutical interventions, such as spinal manipulation (most often performed by a doctor of chiropractic), while avoiding opioids, spinal injections and surgery.
The World Health Organization recently advocated for spinal manipulation for lower #backpain over surgery and drugs. https://t.co/U32DBMObVq #WHO
— F4CP (@F4CP) August 13, 2019
Educational Campaigns Help
Educational campaigns for back pain increased participants’ awareness and influenced their health beliefs and healthcare utilization behaviors. Clinical implications: Providing information on back pain can contribute to significant changes in behaviors and beliefs.
A systematic review on self-management education campaigns for back painhttps://t.co/UATfTpZFTb pic.twitter.com/ERT7D3pHIA
— Physio Meets Science (@PhysioMeScience) August 15, 2019
About Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month
The mission of Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month is to educate patients and prevent them from initiating a pharmacologic-driven pain management program.
About the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress
A not-for-profit organization, the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP) informs and educates the general public about the value of chiropractic care and its role in drug-free pain management. Visit www.f4cp.org; call 866-901-F4CP (3427).
ICYMI – Our other Friday Fives and Blog posts from HCNR’s Nurse Lauren.
