GET TO THE SOURCE OF YOUR PAIN WITHOUT MEDICATION It seems like almost every news broadcast these days features a story about a disturbing cluster of drug overdoses, with theword “opioid”prominently featured. So why are these prescription drugs -- which after all, are legal if they were prescribed to the user -- so much in the news these days? And what can you do if you’re torn between not filling your own prescription, versus seeking relief for your very real pain? Why does opioid overuse matter? better emotionally as well as physically. How can physiotherapy counter the problem? It’s important to get real about the reason people seek prescription painkillers in the first place -- the pain. These patients are not to be condemned for seeking relief for injuries, arthritis and other degenerative conditions, or for post-surgical discomfort. At the same time, however, it’s becoming increasingly obvious that medications like Percocet, Vicodin, Opana and OxyContin are extremely addictive. that opioids should not be considered first-line or routine therapy for chronic pain.” GET TO THE SOURCE OF YOUR PAIN ITHOUT MEDICATION
2. You want to do more than mask the pain. Opioids reduce the sensation of pain by interrupting pain signals to the brain. Opioids make it so you can’t feel the pain, but, they do not treat the source of your pain. Physiotherapists treat pain by finding the source and restoring movement and function. 3. Pain or function problems are related to low back pain, hip or knee osteoarthritis, or fibromyalgia. There is “high-quality evidence” supporting exercise as part of a physiotherapy treatment plan for those familiar conditions. 4. Opioids are prescribed for pain. Even in situations when opioids are prescribed, it is recommended that patients should receive “the lowest effective dosage,” and opioids “should be combined” with non-opioid therapies, such as physiotherapy. 5. Pain lasts 90 days. At this point, the pain is considered “chronic,” and the risks for continued opioid use increase. Non-opioid therapies are preferred for chronic pain and clinicians should consider opioid therapy only if expected benefits for both pain and function are anticipated to outweigh risks to the patient. Source: “Physical Therapy vs Opioids: When to Choose Physical Therapy for Pain Management.” American PhysicalTherapy Association. N.p., 15 June 2016. Web. 10 Feb. 2017.
According to a study in 2016, sales of prescription opioids have quadrupled, even though “there has not been an overall change in the amount of pain” that is reported. Both opioid prescription rates and deaths from opioid overdoses have quadrupled in the last two decades. Given these identical statistics, one can’t escape the obvious conclusion: Reliance on painkillers has gotten out of hand, and the consequences can be literally fatal. Doctors now write so many opioid prescriptions each year that it translates to one bottle per adult. Of the people who died from drug overdoses in 2015, 50 percent involved prescription painkillers. Just as ominous is the discovery that people who become addicted to prescription opioids are 40 times more likely to become addicted to heroin. Beyond extreme physical risk, over-reliance on prescription painkillers can have other detrimental effects on your health. Withdrawal symptoms can be harrowing. And while you’re still using them, opioids can lead to depression, which sets up a vicious cycle of self-medicating in order to feel
Physiotherapy, on the other hand, is so effective because it provides a multi-pronged attack to pain relief. The physiotherapists at The Physiotherapy Center, LTD provide care by manual techniques, exercise instruction, and dry needling. We identify the source of your pain and use our tools and expertise to help get you back to your life! We even have in-home treatment options that include strengthening exercises, heat/cold therapy, manual therapy, massage therapy, ultrasound/ electrical stimulation, prescription for walking aids, laser therapy and others as needed. 5 important reasons to choose physiotherapy FIRST over opioids: 1. The risks of opioid use outweigh the rewards. Potential side effects of opioids include depression, overdose, and addiction, plus withdrawal symptoms when stopping opioid use. Because of these risks, it was “agreed
April 13 • 6:30 PM Workshops are free but seats are limited. Please call 943-8700 to register, today! FREE WORKSHOP! THE ROLE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY IN NEUROLOGICAL REHABILITATION Delivered by Mr. Sandeep Kumar Rajavelu Balachander, RPT and Mr. Resean Reece, RPT
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