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Above is the title of a June 2, 2018, article in Time magazine. The article reports on a new study published on June 1st, 2018, by the JAMA Network Open, showing that between 2001 and 2016, the number of opioid-related deaths in the United States increased by 345%.

The Time’s article begins with some sobering statistics, “In 2016, one in 65 deaths in the United States involved opioids — and among younger adults, that number skyrocketed to one in five, according to a new study.” That study, published in JAMA Network Open, and titled “The Burden of Opioid-Related Mortality in the United States” reviewed information on opioid usage and mortality between the years 2001 and 2016.

The numbers are extremely concerning. Between the years 2001 and 2016, the number of opioid-related deaths in the United States increased from 9489 to 42,245 deaths, a 345% increase. This translates into 33.3 deaths per million in 2001, to now 130.7 deaths per million people in the U.S. alone.

The death rate for men is higher than women, with men currently accounting for 67.5% of all opioid-related deaths. The average age of a person who dies of opioid usage is only 40 years of age. In the age group of 24 to 35 years, 20.0% of all deaths in the US were attributable to opioids in 2016. The younger groups have not escaped the problem with 12.4% of all deaths in the ages between 15 to 24 years being attributable to opioids in 2016. If you look at this in terms of years of life lost, opioid-related deaths resulted in 1,681,359 years of life lost in the United States.

Dr. Robert Braile, a chiropractor, author and past president of the International Chiropractors Association gave his perspective on the issue. “There are two issues leading up to our present opiod crisis. The first is that much of the public is unaware that there are viable, proven and safer alternative to drugs such as opioids for those suffering from chronic pain. Chiropractic has helped millions to achieve a better quality of life without the use of medications.”

“The second issue has do do with the messages being continuously delivered to the public via drug advertising,” states Dr Braile. “Almost all drug advertising you see is for continual usage medications. Medications that aim to ‘control’ the problem without ever seeking to fix the underlying cause. This leads to the hopelessness of a society that believe they just have to live with their problems and their only choice is to control the symptoms. This is simply not true. The human body is a wonderful and amazing self-healing organism. We should be focusing more effort into finding things that interfere with that healing ability, as opposed to just treating the effects of ill health.”

In the conclusion of the study the authors wrote, “Premature death from opioid-related causes imposes an enormous and growing public health burden across the United States. The recent increase in the proportion of deaths attributable to opioids among adolescents and young adults and the accompanying estimates of YLL (years of life lost) are alarming, particularly among men. Furthermore, the aging population of people with opioid use disorder requires attention, as the burden of opioid overdose among adults aged 55 to 64 years is growing at a concerning rate.”

The Journal of Pediatric, Maternal & Family Health published a study on April 26, 2018, documenting the case of chiropractic care resolving infertility in a 30-year-old woman. As defined by the study, “Infertility is the inability to accomplish a pregnancy within one year of regular sexual intercourse without contraception.”

The statistics of infertility show that 20% are due to combined male and female factors, while 35% are due to solely male factors and equally 35% are due to female factors with the remaining 10% being attributed to unknown factors. In the U.S. alone, it was estimated that in 2010, 48.5 million couples were infertile.

According to an April 18, 2018, article in the US News and World Report, about 85,000 women undergo in vitro fertilization each year. The cost of such treatments is high with the article reporting that the average cost of IVF treatment, including cycle costs and medication, is $25,000. In most cases, two cycles are needed, bringing the total bill to near $50,000. With these figures, it is no wonder that more couples are turning to alternative care such as chiropractic for a possible solution.

In this case, a 30-year-old female nurse sought out chiropractic care. Her reason for seeking chiropractic was to see if she could be helped with her infertility issue. However, she was also suffering with headaches, low back pain and middle back pain. She had been diagnosed with infertility a year earlier and was trying a variety of medical approaches including performing temperature monitoring and purchasing ovulation kits for infertility as well as taking Clomid throughout days 5-9 of her cycle.

A chiropractic examination revealed spinal areas of increased sensitivity along with a decreased range of motion. Spinal x-rays showed a loss of normal curvatures and malpositioned vertebrae. Specific forms of chiropractic care were started to address the subluxations that were present.

The report shows that after two months of chiropractic care, she had ovulated for two months in a row for the first time. After three months of care, the woman had reported that she had conceived and was pregnant. Additionally, the other symptoms she initially had of headaches, lower and mid back pain were resolved.

In the discussion section of the study, the authors explain how chiropractic care is effective in cases of infertility. “How does chiropractic care and improvement of posture help resolve infertility? It is presumed that stimulation and relief of tension on the spinal cord and nerves play the key role in enabling a female patient to become fertile following chiropractic care. Structurally speaking this patient had vertebral subluxation and reduced sagittal curves throughout all regions in the spine. This lengthens the spinal canal and therefore exerts increased tension onto the spinal cord even during normal motions of the spine and neck. The resultant ‘pathologic’ neurological tensions are likely the culprit in neurologic compromise in function of the organs, including those related to fertility.”

A study published on April 12, 2018, in the Annals of Vertebral Subluxation Research documented the case of a person suffering with symptoms from ankylosing spondylitis being helped by chiropractic. The study begins by pointing out the focus of chiropractic. “In addition to promoting health, wellness and disease prevention, chiropractors focus on the neuromusculoskeletal system and its integrity for the purpose of enhancing health and performance.”

On their website, the Spondylitis Association of America provides an overview of the condition described in this study by saying, “Ankylosing spondylitis or AS, is a form of arthritis that primarily affects the spine, although other joints can become involved. It causes inflammation of the spinal joints (vertebrae) that can lead to severe, chronic pain and discomfort. In more advanced cases this inflammation can lead to ankylosis — new bone formation in the spine — causing sections of the spine to fuse in a fixed, immobile position.”

The study notes that AS commonly begins in the sacroiliac joints but can occur in other areas of the spine as well. The condition is progressive and is commonly treated with anti-inflammatory and pain drugs, which often come with significant side effects, especially if used for extensive periods of time. Since this condition is both chronic and progressive, the authors note that many people turn to alternative treatments such as chiropractic in order to avoid long-term drug use.

In this case, a 38-year-old man went to the chiropractic for an assessment and possible care for mid to upper back pain, neck pain, left groin pain, right knee and heel pain, and bilateral buttock pain. He had been suffering with a combination of these current pains for the last five years before seeking chiropractic. Overall, he had sought out medical care for a variety of pains for the previous ten years and was eventually diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis. He did suffer one work injury six years ago which made his symptoms worse. He was advised by his medical physician that his condition was progressive and would get worse.

On a chiropractic examination, it was recorded that the man was hunched forward due to the forward curve of his spine. His ranges of motion were significantly reduced. Due to his hunched-over position, a pillow was placed under his chest, so he could lie face-down on the chiropractic table for the examination. Chiropractic care was started with special considerations being given to the man’s specific spinal situation.

Seven days after the start of chiropractic care, the man reported that he noticed a decrease in pain and an increase in his range of motion after the adjustment. This improvement lasted for one day. After another chiropractic adjustment, the man immediately noticed a decrease in pain and an increase in his motion. He was then given some home exercises to perform in addition to his chiropractic care.

As care continued, the man reported that the exercises caused some soreness afterward, but that his posture and motion continued to improve as did his pain level. With continued chiropractic care and home exercises, the man continued to show improvement. One description of such improvement noted by the study authors included the following: “Prior to chiropractic care, the patient could not lie supine without the use of a thick pillow to support his ‘stuck’ forward head carry as he was not able to extend his neck and upper back far enough for his head to lie flat. With chiropractic care, the patient was able to lie comfortably in the supine position with his head lying flat.”

In their conclusion the authors wrote, “This case report provides supporting evidence that patients suffering from AS may benefit from chiropractic care.”