Health Brief

DRUG-FREE TREATMENT PREFERRED BY THOSE SUFFERING WITH CHRONIC PAIN

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Even though the majority of chronic back pain sufferers use muscle relaxants and other over-the-counter pain medication to deal with the pain, a recent survey discovered that more than 80% would prefer to avoid the use of such medication.

The survey also found that 64% of respondents said they would consider seeking healthcare services from healthcare professionals that offer a drug-free approach to pain relief, including Doctors of Chiropractic.

Eight hundred adults were interviewed by the I/H/R Research Group to determine the type of treatment methods used by those with chronic back pain and to determine the degree of relief experienced by various treatment options.

When asked about the effect of current treatment methods, 30% reported that their pain wasn't under control; 39.3% said it was "moderately under control."

Amongst the 27% who were taking narcotics or analgesics, one-fourth relied on OTC drugs to control their pain and nearly 20% relied on muscle relaxants.

Surveyors also discovered that 71% of respondents had suffered from chronic back pain for five or more years, 40% reported their pain was severe or very severe at the time of the survey, and that 18% of pain was attributed to accident or injury.

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SOURCE: American Chiropractic Association, press release, August 20, 2004; Yahoo News, www.biz/yahoo.com.