Maloney Chiropractic Clinic Marks September 2017 Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month
Phoenix, Arizona, August 31, 2017 — September 2017 is designated Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month, an opportunity to raise public awareness about non-pharmacologic options, such as chiropractic care, to safely and effectively relieve acute, subacute and as appropriate, chronic pain. Sponsored by Dr. Patrick A. Maloney, DC and in collaboration with the Foundation for Chiropractic Progress (F4CP), this month of observances will educate and inform consumers, managed care, state legislators and patient referral sources.
“Drug addiction often begins with opioid prescriptions for pain,” says Dr. Patrick A. Maloney, DC “In fact, a recent study by the Department of Health & Human Services stated that on an average day in the U.S. more than 650,000 opioid prescriptions are dispensed. Pain management should begin with chiropractic care as a first-line option to reduce pain and increase function for individuals who are suffering.”
Throughout the September Awareness Month consumer-focused activities include:
- Community events: DEA National Prescription Drug Take-Back Initiative, Sports Injury Day, Pediatrics and Addicted Babies Awareness Day, Remembering our Vets, Honor Day
- Media: Press Releases, Public Service Announcements (PSAs), Advertisement, Editorial Coverage
- OpioidToolkit 1.0; Opioid Toolkit 2.0.
According to Sherry McAllister, DC, executive vice president, F4CP, a not-for-profit organization dedicated to informing and educating the general public about the value of chiropractic care, says, “Healthcare providers across all disciplines should acknowledge chiropractic care to their patients as a safe and effective conservative care option prior to prescribing addictive and potentially fatal opioids. Prescription painkillers have yet to be proven effective for long-term pain management, and the public needs access to safe and effective drug-free options, including chiropractic. Non-pharmacologic pain management should be a primary alternative to prescription opioids.”
The Drug-Free Pain Management Awareness Month observance will be included annually in the American Hospital Association official health care observance calendar.
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