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Pain Management Cheat Sheet

Pain management is one of the oldest areas of medicine. And just as there are many different causes of pain, there are many different treatment options. One of the most controversial options is pain-relieving drugs, especially the long-term use of opioids for chronic pain. One thing is for sure – all patients should have access to a variety of pain management options. Pain-relieving drugs may be the right choice in some cases, but they should never be the only option on the table. A recent bill sponsored by Wisconsin congressman Ron Kind serves to highlight this issue. Many veterans receive only drug therapy for their chronic pain. The bill, called the Chiropractic Care Available to All Veterans Act, would make chiropractic care a standard benefit of Veterans Affairs health care, and require chiropractic care and services at every VA medical center by the end of 2016. The bill is also supported by the Veterans of Foreign Wars, Paralyzed Veterans of America, the American Legion, Vietnam Veterans of America, National Chiropractic Leadership Conference, and the American Chiropractic Association. Pain management is a major health care issue in America. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), pain affects more Americans than

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Traveling with Back Pain: 5 Tips for Better Comfort

Packing and holiday delays can make travel stressful, but traveling with back pain can be especially taxing. Long periods of sitting and heavy luggage are just some of the obstacles facing travelers with back pain. Here are 5 tips to make your trip more comfortable and less painful. Move as much as you can. It sounds counterintuitive, but you need to move every 20 to 30 minutes. On bus rides, the driver won’t pull over for you to stretch, but on longer flights, walk around the cabin if the fasten seatbelt sign is off. Pull over for a quick stretch if you’re driving your own car. You don’t have to move a lot—even 10 seconds of movement will make things better. In addition to moving around, you should stretch as well. Hip flexors and hamstrings get especially tight during long periods of sitting. Here are two great examples to follow:   To relieve stiffness in the neck, bring the ear to the shoulder or simply move your head side to side. Watch your posture. The right posture can go a long way towards easing back pain. Make sure you’re sitting properly, so your spine is straight and your back is

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