Pain sufferers seek alternatives following codeine crackdown
IN response to the recent changes to the availability of codeine-based medication, allied health and natural therapy providers are encouraging pain sufferers to consider non-pharmaceutical treatments to provide relief.
Introduced on February 1 this year by the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), the law stipulates that over-the-counter sales of codeine-based pain relief are no longer available without a doctor’s prescription.
According to the TGA, it is the addictive nature of codeine which has led to “opioid tolerance, dependence, poisoning and in high doses, even death”.
“Regular use of medicines containing codeine, for example for chronic pain, has led to some consumers becoming addicted to codeine without realising it,” the TGA said, explaining their reasoning behind the changes.
So now may be the time for chronic pain sufferers to re-evaluate their pain management strategy and see if there is an alternative to hitting the tablets in the form of chiropractic, acupuncture, or remedial massage for certain ailments and injuries.
Dubbo chiropractor, Dr Gabrielle Falconer, treats a range of patients, mostly related to disorders of the musculoskeletal system and the effect it can have on the nervous system.
“The most common complaints that present to chiropractors are low back pain, neck pain and headaches, however chiropractors can also diagnose and manage a range of other joint and muscular complaints relating to the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hip, knee, foot or jaw,” Dr Falconer told Dubbo Photo News.
While your doctor should always be your first port of call when it comes to making decisions about your health and managing your pain, the NSW Department of Health says existing studies “do not support the long-term efficacy and safety of opioid therapy for chronic non-cancer pain”, indicating that medication alone is not ideal for ongoing treatment.
“Pharmaceutical medications can have a place in managing conditions such as back pain, but the best evidence confirms that a multi-modal treatment approach by a team of health professionals can serve the patient best, whether it be a chiropractor, GP, or any other allied health professional,” Dr Falconer said.
While seeing the chiro or booking in for a massage is one thing, some are still hesitant to visit an acupuncturist for fear of the needles. But Dubbo acupuncturist Raisa Kolesnikova assures potential patients there is nothing to worry about.
“Acupuncture is very