Have a Child With Back Pain? Avoid Opioids At All Costs
Many research studies have confirmed that opioids aren't helpful and in fact can be harmful when it comes to treating low back pain. When it comes to children, the same holds true. In fact, there isn't any research supporting the use of these drugs as a solution. The good news is there’s ample research and personal testimony for the use of chiropractic instead.
What Opioids Do to Children
Back pain is fairly common in children between lugging around heavy backpacks, playing sports, and their bodies undergoing development. Growth spurts can be especially painful. With all that going on, you want to avoid opioids at all costs.
Studies show that training children to take pills when they're in pain can lead to opioid abuse, and in extreme cases death by overdose. As they get older, they’re more likely to self medicate. If some is good, then more is better. They're not doctors who've been taught that the dose makes the poison. We can teach children that there are other safer, more effective ways to help them get out of pain, especially through chiropractic care (which can be addicting in a good way).
We know chronic pain impacts the brain negatively, making proper, timely care imperative. As for what opioids do to developing brains and bodies, the CDC hasn’t released any official information yet. For now, the bottom line is to protect children from developing an addiction and dependence on opioids.
What Chiropractic Can Do for Back Pain in Children
Ample research shows that chiropractic care is a safe, excellent treatment for children suffering from back pain. Chiropractors can also help spines stay healthy in the face of heavy backpacks, sports injuries, and even during stages of bodily development. A healthy spine can promote healthy development.
So skip the risk of your child developing an addiction or overdosing and take them to your favorite chiropractor for drug-free pain relief today. Care is customizable to your child’s unique needs.
Author: ChiroPlanet.com
Source: Pediatrics. 2017 Apr;139(4):e20162387.
Copyright: ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC 2022
September is Pain Awareness Month
Chronic pain affects an estimated 116 million American adults - more than the total affected by heart disease, cancer, and diabetes combined, according to a recent Institute of Medicine report.
Allsup, a nationwide Social Security disability representation company, helps thousands of people with chronic pain obtain their SSDI benefits each year. To salute those who persevere, Allsup is distributing free posters for Pain Awareness Month in September and explaining how chronic pain is evaluated in the Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) claims process.
SSDI is a payroll tax-funded, federal insurance program established in 1954. It provides a monthly benefit for people who have worked in the past, paid Social Security taxes and are unable to work for a year or more because of their disability
"Pain is a major consideration in many claims," said Ed Swierczek, Allsup senior claimant representative. “In fact, there are court cases throughout the country that state the effect of pain on a person’s functioning must be considered in the evaluation of a disability claim.”
The Social Security Administration is required to consider pain and the limitations it causes when evaluating a disability claim. However, before pain may be considered, a medically determinable severe impairment must be established and the established impairment must reasonably be expected to produce the pain.
For example, individuals with lupus often experience pain in their joints or muscles, or in the form of migraines. Systemic lupus erythematosus is included in the SSA’s Listing of Impairments and is considered a medically determinable severe impairment. Another common example is lower back pain due to a condition that meets the SSA listing of disorders of the spine.
"Because pain is subjective, the presence of a medically determinable severe impairment lends credibility to the pain,” Swierczek said. “It is important for individuals to inform their treating physicians each time they experience pain, and to document the presence of the pain at each office visit, if the pain is present."
When evaluating a disability claim, the SSA must consider whether pain is severe enough to significantly limit a person’s ability to perform basic work activities. These activities include:
- Walking, standing, sitting, lifting, pushing, pulling, reaching, carrying or handling
- Seeing, hearing and speaking
- Understanding/carrying out and remembering simple instructions
- Responding appropriately to supervision, co-workers and usual work situations
- Dealing with changes in a routine work setting
The SSA also considers:
- The location, duration, frequency and intensity of the pain (or other symptoms).
- Factors that precipitate and aggravate the symptoms.
- The type, dosage, effectiveness and side effects of any medication the individual takes or has taken to alleviate pain (or other symptoms).
- Treatment, other than medication, the individual receives or has received for relief of pain (or other symptoms).
- Any measures, other than treatment, the individual uses or has used to relieve pain (or other symptoms—e.g., lying flat on his/her back, standing for 15 to 20 minutes every hour or sleeping on a board).
- Any other factors concerning the individual’s functional limitations and restrictions due to pain (or other symptoms).
"The most important thing to remember is always let your doctor know what your symptoms are, be it pain, shortness of breath, fatigue, etc.," Swierczek said. "This not only documents your claim, but gives your doctor important information that he/she needs to provide treatment."
Author: ChiroPlanet.com
Source: Chiroeco.com. August 31, 2011.
Copyright: ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC 2011
Mentally Active People Experience Less Memory Loss
Use it or lose it? After tracking the mental activity of over 1600 older adults, new research indicates that people in the habit of reading, writing and processing new information retain more of their thinking skills and memory as they age. Beginning in 1997, the study of older adults asked participants how often they went to the library, wrote letters and sought out information. Each participant was also given an annual thinking and memory test. People in their 80’s who were mentally active throughout their lives generally scored better on the memory tests. The study rated cognitive activity on a scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the least frequent. Participants scored an average of 3.2 for late-life cognitive activity and a 3.1 for early-life activity. Compared to people with average late-life cognitive activity, the thinking and memory skills of those individuals with infrequent activity declined 48 percent faster than the average. The decline was 32 percent slower among those who were the most cognitively active. While shying away from concluding that being mentally active wards off cognitive decline, the study advised that maintaining a mentally active lifestyle is good for cognitive health in old age.
Author: ChiroPlanet.com
Source:
Neurology, online July 3, 2013.
Copyright: ProfessionalPlanets.com LLC 2013