Vol. 64, No. 2, February 6, 2018

Breakthrough study: Chiropractic can address the opioid crisis

In Focus Years ago, those who were addicted to prescription opioids or NSAIDS were attached to a certain stigma. That is no longer the case. Reliance on pain medication is widespread throughout many demographics, and no matter how or why the pills got in their hands, millions of Americans are learning the dire consequences of them. "When you trace the roots, I think it started maybe 20 years ago, or perhaps less, when there was an actual concern that people’s pain wasn’t being sufficiently managed or even ignored."

Laser therapy can be a non-invasive solution to reducing inflammation

Practice Central Pain management has been getting increased attention in the U.S. health-care market due to the current opioid epidemic. Most healthcare providers are looking for alternatives to pharmaceutical therapies when addressing various musculoskeletal (MSK) pain conditions. Laser therapy is a non-invasive modality that can have effects on both chronic and acute pain through the process of photobiomodulation (PBM).

Searching for relief: Empower your patients to treat their pain

Feature Pain is often a symptom of a disease. And in some cases, pain can become a disease in and of itself. About 10 percent of the time after an illness, pain persists for months, or even years after an episode. Imagine you’re stroking your arm with a feather, while your brain is telling you it feels like a blowtorch. How can the human body get this sensation so wrong? You’d think the nervous system is hard-wired, like the wires in your house that connect electricity to the lights.

The right exercise and diet can reduce chronic inflammation

Wellness Approach An alarming number of Americans suffer from chronic inflammatory diseases. But most people who are impacted are unsure of the steps needed to properly address the condition. They continue to experience pain, which at times leads to further injury. Inflammation is a vital part of the body’s immune response.

Understand the differences in electrotherapy devices

Clinical Concerns Over the past 20 years, many healthcare professionals have used electrotherapy to help patients relieve acute and chronic sports, arthritic, and post-surgical pain and inflammation. Electrotherapeutic devices come mainly in four different forms: transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS), interferential (IF) therapy, microcurrent (Micro) therapy, and electrical muscle stimulation (EMS).

What to look for when choosing the right analgesic topical

Practice Central Patients seek your specialized knowledge and training to help relieve their pain. Depending on your diagnosis, you may use a combination of adjustments and supplements to make your patients feel better. Your tools may also include a variety of topical analgesics, which you apply during your client’s visit and that you might send home with them.