A subsidiary of the American Hospital Association, has designated September as Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month. The goal of this designation is to increase public awareness around non-pharmacologic alternatives to chronic and subacute pain, such as massage therapy and chiropractic care. The abuse of prescription opioid meds has led to a national crisis of addiction and catastrophic outcomes. Prescribing potentially addictive pain killers for conditions such as neck and lower back pain has become the norm in the U.S. The hope of this campaign is that patients and clinicians will educate themselves on and seek out non-pharmacologic options to address pain.
Key Takeaways:
- Prescription opoid abuse is becoming a castastrophic issue in America today.
- 650K opoid prescriptions are written every day to help manage pain.
- Pain is the most prevalent medical condition, out pacing heart disease, cancer and diabetes combined.
“Pain Awareness Month serves not simply as a month for clinicians to improve their skills in pain management, but as a powerful means to convey the compelling message that millions of people continue to suffer from something that deserves proper management.”
Read more: http://www.greensburgdailynews.com/news/local_news/raising-public-awareness-about-non-pharmacologic-options/article_0621b5e0-e38c-5e8c-b99c-73a34ed840a4.html
