05/29/2026
🌾 Fusion Friday – 🧠What the Research Says🌾
Pain relief options all come with risks and benefits.
Research shows chiropractic care is a conservative, non-drug approach for spine-related pain. Most reactions to spinal manipulation are mild and short-term, while serious adverse events are considered rare.
Common pain medications can also be helpful when appropriate, but they are not risk-free. NSAIDs may carry gastrointestinal, kidney, and cardiovascular risks, and opioid use carries concerns for dependence and long-term use.
The goal is not “chiropractic vs. medication.”The goal is informed, individualized care based on the patient in front of us. ❤️
At ChiroFusion, care starts with evaluation, clinical reasoning, and choosing the most appropriate approach for each patient.
📚 Here’s the Research:
Dabbs, V., & Lauretti, W. J. (1995). A risk assessment of cervical manipulation versus NSAIDs for the treatment of neck pain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics, 18(8), 530–536.
Nielsen, S. M., Tarp, S., Christensen, R., Bliddal, H., Klokker, L., & Henriksen, M. (2017). The risk associated with spinal manipulation: An overview of reviews. Systematic Reviews, 6, 64.
Bindu, S., Mazumder, S., & Bandyopadhyay, U. (2020). Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and organ damage: A current perspective. Biochemical Pharmacology, 180, 114147.
Emary, P. C., et al. (2022). Association of chiropractic care with receiving an opioid prescription for spine pain. Journal of Manipulative and Physiological Therapeutics.
