The journal of alternative and complementary medicine : research on paradigm, practice, and policy
-
J Altern Complement Med · Jun 2018
Association Between Utilization of Chiropractic Services for Treatment of Low-Back Pain and Use of Prescription Opioids.
Pain relief resulting from services delivered by doctors of chiropractic may allow patients to use lower or less frequent doses of opioids, leading to reduced risk of adverse effects. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the association between utilization of chiropractic services and the use of prescription opioid medications. ⋯ Among New Hampshire adults with office visits for noncancer low-back pain, the likelihood of filling a prescription for an opioid analgesic was significantly lower for recipients of services delivered by doctors of chiropractic compared with nonrecipients. The underlying cause of this correlation remains unknown, indicating the need for further investigation.