I came across this article written by an MD about his view of how chronic pain patients are being treated, or "mis-treated" today. It is a very sobering report on how traditional medicine views and accordingly treats people who suffer from long standing pain. The standpoint of this doctor is something that does not surprise me at all. In fact, I tend to agree with just about everything he is saying in the piece.
Dr. Abaci correctly states that pain is indeed extremely profitable for the drug companies. If you ever had any doubts, just take a walk down the drug aisle in your local pharmacy and you will see the assortment of pain killers available. They can range from the very common aspirin, to Advil, Tylenol, Aleve, Motrin, no name versions of these drugs and even 'specialty' versions like Robaxacet or Tylenol Back Pain. This is also just the tip of the iceberg, we haven't even touched on the variety of pain killers you could get with a doctor's prescription.
Here's an excerpt from his article; "Shouldn't the fact that chronic pain sufferers are now getting more access to the strongest pain killers on the planet and at higher dosages mean that we are now doing a better job helping them manage their pain? Guess again. In my 15 years of practice, I have yet to see a scientifically sound study that can show significant benefit from the long-term use of opioid medications for chronic pain in a large patient population."
However, Dr. Abaci, doesn't stop there. He correctly notes that more invasive options for sufferers of chronic back pain, ie. surgery also have a poor track record. He even questions the rationale behind surgery and wonders why more conservative options are not encouraged more.
"In no way are the problems with pain management strictly limited to the misguided use of pills. For example, over the last two decades there has been an exponential rise in the use of spine surgery and interventional procedures for the treatment of lower back pain. Rapid growth has taken place in the use of more complex and costly spinal fusion surgeries, and there is cut-throat competition among the manufacturers of the hardware used in these procedures. Medtronic alone makes $3 billion annually off of its spinal device unit. Again, research has consistently shown that such treatments are no more effective for low back pain than much lower cost alternatives such as aggressive rehabilitation."
The underlying message is that patients who suffer from chronic pain should be taking a more interdisciplinary approach including a comprehensive rehab program. Including professionals like; Chiropractors, massage therapists, physiotherapists, family doctors and specialists, has been shown to result in the best recovery for chronic pain sufferers. If you're interested in reading all of Dr. Abaci's article, follow the link here!
All of my patients, regardless of severity are encouraged to move and be active from day one. The three main goals of Chiropractic treatment in my office are; 1) Relieve the patient's discomfort and pain. 2) Increase the patients mobility, flexibility and function and 3) Help the patient become stronger and more independent by teaching them about proper exercises, home care and lifestyle tips.
From my experience, this approach results in the best results in the long term and less dependence on doctors and medications. Surely, your overall health will not be found in a bottle of pain killers. If you are in the Commercial Drive neighborhood of East Vancouver, stop by and see what Chiropractic can do for you. Or visit my website hereCOMMERCIAL DRIVE - EAST VANCOUVER CHIROPRACTOR; DR. DOMINIC CHAN DC!!!,
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