Do you pop multiple doses of pain killers just to make it through the day without your back getting too angry? Even if you're not experiencing side effects yet, there is a good chance you will develop side effects from too many pain killers, such as stomach ulcers, kidney problems, and liver damage in the future. Thus, it's best to rely on pain killers only for emergencies. Follow these steps to reduce your reliance on these drugs.
Step 1: Space out your doses.
There's a good chance you don't need as much medication as you think you do in order to keep back pain at bay. A good first step to reducing the number of pills you're taking is to space your doses out a little further. For instance, if you're currently taking 2 naproxen pills every 8 hours, start taking them every 10 hours. After a few days, start taking them every 12 hours.
Give your body a few days to adapt, and then see if you can also cut down the dose. For instance, switch from taking 2 pills to 1 ½ pills each time. (Check the label to make sure the pills you're taking are safe to split before taking half pills. Some are not safe to split, since they have a protecting coating that prevents them from digesting in your stomach).
Step 2: Ask your chiropractor to show you some pain-relieving stretches.
Now that you've cut back the number of pills you're taking, it's time to find another solution for your back pain. Visit your chiropractor, but this time, instead of just letting him or her adjust your back and send you on your way, stick around and ask for a bit of advice after your treatment. Tell your chiropractor that you're trying to reduce your use of pain killers, and that you'd like to know about some stretches or exercises you can do to relieve pain when your back is tight or painful.
Your chiropractor will likely recommend a few stretches or exercises based on your individual back structure and soreness issues. To make sure you do them correctly, demonstrate them to your chiropractor in the office, and have him or her correct your form so you're doing every exercise right.
Step 3: Cut back on pain reliever use even further.
Once you get into the habit of using stretches and exercises to curb back pain, you may be able to reduce your use of pain killers even further. Depending on your level of back pain and its cause, this may mean getting down to the point where you only take a pill on days when the pain is extreme, or it may mean cutting back to 1 or 2 pain pills per day. Set a goal for yourself in this regard, and then slowly reduce your doses as you work towards achieving it.
Popping pain relievers may ease your back pain, but due to the side effects of these medications, it's not the ideal solution. With the help of a chiropractor, such as those at Battlefield Chiropractic & Physiotherapy, you can get to the point that you only need pain relievers occasionally, instead of daily.
Share15 July 2015
Hi there, my name is Georgette Limerick. I am excited to share my knowledge about chiropractic procedures with you today. I was a softball player through middle school, high school and college. I often stood on the pitcher's mound and lobbed the ball over the plate. The constant movement of my shoulder pulled the ligaments and joint out of alignment. Eventually, I developed an immense amount of pain throughout my neck, back and shoulder. The pain even shot down my arm to my fingertips, making it difficult to work at an acceptable pace. I visited a chiropractor several times to see if some precise adjustments would help. After the third visit, I was convinced the procedures healed me. My site will explore the benefits of chiropractic procedures in detail. Thanks for coming by.