Arlington, Va. – The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) and doctors of chiropractic nationwide will celebrate National Chiropractic Health Month this October with the theme “Get Started with Chiropractic.” The campaign will raise awareness of how taking a non-drug approach to pain initially may help you to avoid riskier treatments later.

When it comes to common musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions such as back, neck and joint pain, getting started with a non-drug approach to treatment may help reduce the need for prescription pain medications down the line. Research shows that people who start with chiropractic treatment for back pain have a significantly lower risk of requiring an opioid prescription later.

While opioid prescriptions are down nationwide, opioid overuse disorder remains a public health problem. The FDA announced in July that it was changing labeling requirements for opioid pain medications “to better emphasize and explain the risks associated with their long-term use.” Evidence-based clinical guidelines from the American College of Physicians, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the World Health Organization, among others, support using non-drug therapies for back pain and other MSK conditions before moving on to prescription opioid pain medications.

“People today want the option of non-drug treatments to manage their pain, and research and guidelines support that approach,” said ACA President Marc Nynas, DC. “Doctors of chiropractic offer patients evidence-based, non-drug treatments as well as advice on health promotion and injury prevention to keep them moving in the right direction, back to their lives and the activities that matter most.”

Look for more information about chiropractic and musculoskeletal health at HandsDownBetter.org and follow the conversation on social media this October with the hashtag #GetStartedwithChiropractic.

About National Chiropractic Health Month 

National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) is a nationwide observance held each October. The event helps to raise public awareness of the importance of musculoskeletal health and the benefits of chiropractic care and its evidence-based, patient-centered, and non-drug approach to health and wellness. Learn more at HandsDownBetter.org.

About the American Chiropractic Association

The American Chiropractic Association (ACA) is the largest professional chiropractic organization in the United States. ACA attracts the most principled and accomplished chiropractors, who understand that it takes more to be called an ACA chiropractor. We are leading our profession in the most constructive and far-reaching ways — by working hand in hand with other health care professionals, by lobbying for pro-chiropractic legislation and policies, by supporting meaningful research and by using that research to inform our treatment practices. We also provide professional and educational opportunities for all our members and are committed to being a positive and unifying force for the practice of modern chiropractic. Visit acatoday.org.