Opioid addiction and misuse is a public health crisis. The number of those developing opioid use disorders continues to rise, as does the number of deaths from opioid overdoses. The current opioid epidemic is largely attributed to the prescription of opioid pain relievers for chronic pain management. PEMF therapy offers an alternative to opioids for pain management that is safe, effective, and non-addictive.
The U.S. opioid epidemic
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 115 Americans die each day from opioid overdoses. The statistic is tragic, but how did we get here?
In the late 1990s, doctors began prescribing more opioid pain relievers to help patients manage chronic pain. Medical professionals were under the impression that these medications were relatively safe. Opioid pain relievers are highly addictive, however, especially when misused.
More prescriptions meant more access to opioid medications; this led to an increase in the misuse of opioid pain relievers. According to NIH, 21 – 29 percent of patients prescribed opioids misuse them.
In 2017, The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) declared a public health emergency for the national opioid crisis.
Finding an alternative to opioids for pain management
25 million Americans deal with chronic pain on a daily basis. While prescription drugs may provide pain relief, they also carry the risk of misuse, addiction, and death. The NIH is focusing on “safe, effective, non-addictive strategies to manage chronic pain”, as well as the use of technology to treat opioid use disorders.
Finding an alternative to opioids for pain relief is key. Pulsed electromagnetic field therapy is a safe, non-invasive option for treating chronic pain. It’s an effective practice for pain management without the use of drugs, and it’s non-addictive.
Learn more about PEMF therapy systems, and contact us online or call 877-473-6377 for more information.