Gabapentin Orion, 100 mg, in Sweden. Bottle, pills and powder from an opened capsule. Studio photography in Tuntorp, Brastad, Lysekil Municipality, Sweden. A patient with shoulder pain visited the office a few weeks ago after visiting the local walk-in clinic. To my surprise, he was also prescribed a pain killer, muscle relaxer, and Oxycontin prescription, which is the opioid behind the epidemic that caused irreparable harm to doctors and patients alike. Most problems such as shoulder pain are mechanical; often, the lower body is part of the reason for the pain. Our patients are shown why they hurt and understand why they need a mechanical solution to a problem such as shoulder pain. Sometimes, they may find themselves in acute pain and they visit the doctor for a prescription to help them through the episode. Science shows that motion and mobility are what help people feel and function better. The Annals of Internal Medicine in 2017 for lower back pain showed that motion is important for pain relief. Chiropractors improve motion and use a number of their recommended procedures regularly. Perhaps this is why we are so effective with lower back pain and many other conditions of the hips, legs, feet, shoulders, and neck. More importantly, the 2017 paper suggested that we avoid medications and X-rays or tests before beginning treatment. A thorough history and exam often eliminate the need for medication and higher-level diagnostics. Chiropractors are trained to do a thorough holistic evaluation and treatment before treatment. Most people get relief on the first visit. Unfortunately, many have chronic problems that become acute after years of medicating or trying to exercise past their problems. Gabapentin is the painkiller drug now being given to so many older people, yet the drug is often recommended off-label, meaning that the drug was not approved for the problem you were taking it for as there is a belief it may help. From diabetics to fibromyalgia to herpetic neuralgia, it has become the everything drug yet proving what it does and why is elusive. Without getting into why it may or may not work and belief systems., some of the positive effects can be placebo. Underlying all of these conditions are body mechanics and motion. If you improve how you function, you are likely to feel better. Does even the positive unproven pain-relieving effects of gabapentin result in medically misunderstood problems just becoming more chronic, leading to damaged joints and the need for more medications? From a chiropractor’s perspective, improving function and having less pain is how we practice. The science behind pain and movement supports how we practice as chiropractors. As a healthcare professional, I often wonder if the practice of medicine learned nothing from the Opioid Epidemic. Even Gabapentin may require a process of weaning off the medication to avoid withdrawal symptoms. Perhaps, it is time for medicine to think outside the pill, or to refer to chiropractors more consistently instead of reaching for the medication prescription pad. The NY Times recently explored Gabapentin and offered some insight into its effectiveness and ineffectiveness. You can check out the article in the link below. The Painkiller Used for Just About Anything If you want to avoid chronicity and have a different understanding of why you hurt, visiting a chiropractor may be a life-changing experience. Book online today.