What exactly is an Opioid and why should I care, Doc?

Thank you for taking the time to read part 2 in my ongoing series highlighting the growing dangers of prescription and non prescription Opiod (narcotic) medications. Here is a recent description provided by the American Society of Addiction Medicine:

"Opioids are a class of drugs that include the illicit drug heroin as well as the licit (legal) prescription painrelievers, oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, morphine, fentanyl and others. Opioids are chemically related and interact with opioid receptors on nerve cells in the brain and nervous system to produce pleasurable effects and relieve pain. Addiction is a primary, chronic and relapsing brain disease characterized by an individual pathologically pursuing reward and/or relief by substance use and other behaviors. Of the 21.5 million Americans age 12 or older that had a substance use disorder in 2014, 1.9 million had a substance abuse disorder involving prescription pain relievers and 586,000 had a substance abuse disorder involving heroin. It is estimated that 23 percent of individuals who use heroin develop opioid addiction."

I think now is a good time to provide an important disclaimer. My office is proud to feature both medical and chiropractic solutions to pain related syndromes. We have no axe to grind against allopathic (1) medicine and we are proud to work with traditional medical providers to find the very best solutions for our patients.  Many times, these treatment plans include prescription medications.
The overall purpose of this series is to provide education to the public regarding what is happening and future posts will provide alternatives for consideration that do not include potentially dangerous opioid medications. As a father of three growing boys that like to hurt themselves, this series is very personal to me as I have seen first hand what irresponsible dispensing of these potentially harmful drugs can do.

So please read, absorb and empower yourself to make safe choices for you and those you love.

As always, Pinpoint the Positive and be well!

Yours in health,

Christopher B. Renne, D.C.

4111 Atlantic Boulevard

Jacksonville, FL 32207

www.activechirocenter.com

904-398-4860 office

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(1) Allopathic: a system of medical practice that aims to combat disease by use of remedies (as drugs or surgery) producing effects different from or incompatible with those produced by the disease being treated—compare homeopathy.