Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island marks September 2017 as Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month 

September 2017 is designated Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month, an opportunity to raise public awareness about non-pharmacologic options, such as chiropractic care, to safely and effectively relieve acute, subacute and as appropriate, chronic pain. Sponsored by the Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island and in collaboration with the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), this month of observances will educate and inform consumers, managed care, state legislators and patient referral sources.

“Drug addiction often begins with opioid prescriptions for pain,” said Dr. David Dwyer, president of Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island and a chiropractic physician at Toll Gate Chiropractic in Warwick and Wakefield, Rhode Island. “In fact, it was reported in the Wall Street Journal on March 28, 2017 that four out of five heroin abusers started with prescription pain killers. A recent study by the Department of Health & Human Services stated that on an average day in the U.S. more than 650,000 opioid prescriptions are dispensed.  Most of those prescriptions are for non-specific spinal and musculoskeletal pain. Pain management for these types of conditions should begin with chiropractic care as a first-line option to reduce pain and increase function for individuals who are suffering.”

Throughout the September Awareness Month consumer-focused activities will include many events nationally, including: DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative; Sports Injury Day; Pediatrics and Addicted Babies Awareness Day; Remembering our Vets; and Honor Day. The month will also include a wide range of media efforts, including press releases, Public Service Announcements (PSAs), advertisements and editorial coverage.

According to Sherry McAllister, DC, executive vice president, F4CP, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to informing and educating the general public about the value of chiropractic care, “Healthcare providers across all disciplines should acknowledge chiropractic care to their patients as a safe and effective conservative care option prior to prescribing addictive and potentially fatal opioids. Prescription painkillers have yet to be proven effective for long-term pain management, and the public needs access to safe and effective drug-free options, including chiropractic. Non-pharmacologic pain management should be a primary alternative to prescription opioids.”

The Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month observance will be included annually in the American Hospital Association official health care observance calendar.

About Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island (CSRI)

Founded in 1918, CSRI is one of the oldest chiropractic associations in the United States and represents almost half of the chiropractic physicians in the Ocean State. In addition to providing a regional voice for chiropractors in the business and legislative arenas, CSRI also helps educate the general public on the benefits of chiropractic. Those all-natural benefits can include relief from headaches, asthma, osteoporosis, osteoarthritis, carpal tunnel, colic, and stress, just to name a few. The Chiropractic Society of Rhode Island is located at 1272 West Main Road, Building 2, Middletown, RI 02842. For more information, call (401) 207-0700 or visit www.RIchiro.org.

Find us on the map