Opioids are not the only pain medications to fear according to the NY Times. Is the pain the problem or are we merely masking other health problems? Not a week goes by without another study, article or politician talking about the Opioid problem which was brought about by the medical profession and its partner, the pharmaceutical industry. Big pharma has been funding and lunching doctors offices for years, in exchange for more prescriptions being written. Pain medication and treatment by pain management who treat the pain with medications including opioids and apply invasive methods to deaden nerves and ultimately, reduce pain. These methods are partly why there is an Opioid problem, and other medications according to the NY Times may be equally as bad for us. Is the problems really the idea of treating pain as if it is a disease and requires a medication or procedure to cure it? If that works so well, why are so many patients visiting so many specialists, rheumatologists and primary doctors, who pass the patient along while writing prescription after prescription for pain relieving tinctures, which have one thing in common; side effects. Ask anyone who has been taking medication for pain for years, and you will likely find someone who is still in pain, or had a joint replaced as a result of not properly addressing the mechanism of why they hurt. The truth is, most painful problems are mechanical in nature and require a whole body approach to diagnose, understand and properly resolve or markedly improve the condition. While this is certainly less convenient than a prescription, it is more likely to lead to a resolution of the problem, rather than more chronic painful problems years later. The chiropractic profession unfortunately, does not get nearly as many referrals as they should from primary providers or other medical specialists, even though their methods which include manipulation, soft tissue treatments and exercises has the capability of improving or resolving most chronic pain. Athletes are aware of the benefits as many baseball and football professional teams use chiropractors which helps resolve problems and often can be preventing many potential injuries by resolving the mechanisms of pain. More people than ever are looking for drug free methods to achieve pain relief. While they can be more costly initially and require some personal time, long term, the payoff is that years later, your joints, back and overall health will be better off and are less likely to experience permanent damage from masking the symptoms with medication. Who should you see first for a painful problem? For most of us, a chiropractor offers the best option for care. While we all lead busy lives, those lives can be easily disrupted with a bad back, neck or joint problem. Do you use the typical medical approach of visiting doctor after doctors hoping someone can figure it out or see a chiropractor who looks at you and is primary care for the musculoskeletal system. Charschan Chiropractic, with offices in North Brunswick and Scotch Plains offers one stop shopping for all of your pain management needs. Most major insurers are accepted and affordable cash plans are available.