Local Marketing: Study Shows Alternatives to Pain Medications can be Effective
Tampa, FL (PRWEB) July 10, 2017 -- Opioid abuse has become a serious public health concern reaching epidemic levels in the United States. Misuse of opioids accounts for over 1,000 emergency room visits every day.2 As many as one in 10 adults suffer from a condition causing chronic pain typically treated with prescription pain medications.3 Despite this news, current insurance models favor traditional pain management. 4 JinLi Wang, Co-Founder of the chiropractic marketing group Local Marketing, LLC, indicates that current insurance models favor prescription drug treatment with opioids or NSAIDs over alternative treatments – despite the published benefits of alternative treatments.4
As doctors and patients look for alternatives to opioids, chiropractic marketing experts are touting the benefits that chiropractic therapy can provide. A recent study indicates that the spinal manipulative therapy used by chiropractors can provide both improvements in pain and function.6 Preliminary data from another study suggests that there is approximately a 56-57 percent reduction in opioid use when chiropractic care has been utilized in a patient’s treatment.4
“Most insurance companies charge a much greater co-payment for visiting a chiropractor versus a general practitioner,” says Wang. “For years, these doctors were encouraged to prescribe opioids to treat chronic pain.” Opioids were pushed by pharmaceutical companies as a safe alternative to short acting narcotics.5 Doctors were instructed that, because opioids were time-released, they would not produce a high that would lead to addiction.5
In addition to the benefits of chiropractic therapy, the risk of serious adverse reactions are negligible.6 Patients receiving opioid narcotics for chronic pain, on the other hand, are less likely to recover function and may experience constipation, sexual dysfunction, cognitive impairment, addiction, and overdosing.5 Patients receiving opioids long-term may also become more sensitive to pain.5 Opioids numb pain and may persuade a patient that their condition is less serious than it is, potentially leading to a patient hurting themselves through overexertion.
Opioid abuse levels and the growing body of research validating chiropractic services has led the medical community to re-examine its approach to pain management. The new American College of Physicians (ACP) guidelines for low back pain treatment recommend trying a non-invasive, non-drug treatment prior to resorting to pharmaceutical therapies.2 The 2017 ACP guidelines cite heat therapy, massage, acupuncture and spinal manipulative therapy as alternative methods of therapy.2 Similarly, the 2016 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published guidelines for chronic pain treatment that promote non-drug treatments.2 The Joint Commission – an organization that is responsible for accrediting 20,000 healthcare systems in the United States – has also added chiropractic and acupuncture therapy to its pain management standard.2
JinLi Wang added that, “Chiropractors and alternative medicine practitioners will need to become proficient in marketing their skills to combat the issues of insurance diversion – in order to help a greater number of patients and have a positive effect on the growing opioid epidemic.”
About Local Marketing, LLC:
JinLi Wang was a successful practitioner and owner of the largest and most profitable Chinese Medicine Clinic in the U.S. In communicating report findings with chiropractors, she discovered that the key missing factor in most practices was a consistent flow of new patients. Her passion for natural healthcare led her to shift her focus to helping the chiropractic profession with comprehensive marketing, something that was lacking. As natural medical professionals, chiropractors weren’t familiar with the difference between marketing and sales, much less how to reach out for help in marketing their practice.
Adding to the lack of marketing are the business stressors of insurance, compliance and the economic landscape, which point to the necessity of having a steady stream of patients as a counter measure. Local Marketing, LLC provides lead generation and creative media planning for chiropractors and functional medicine practitioners. Their campaigns begin with market research and generate a solid return on investment.
Local Marketing, LLC was created in September 2015 by JinLi Wang and Kevin Pruett to help grow practices for competent chiropractors and functional medicine practitioners in the U.S. and Canada. They’ve spent over $400,000 testing thousands of different ads, verbiage and images for marketing to patients. This continuous testing and analyzing of data has benefited their clients’ practices. The campaigns they create are based on skillful analysis and testing of the specific target market of the practice location and qualified people reaching for the help that the practice offers. They brand and position the doctor and the clinic. For more information on chiropractic marketing visit http://www.localchiromarketing.com.
1. Dixon, David. "Opioid Abuse." Medscape. N.p., 27 June 2017. Web. 03 July 2017.
2. "Chiropractic and the Opioid Epidemic: Rethinking Our Approach to Pain." American Chiropractic Association. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 July 2017.
3. Jacques, Erica. "Your Guide to the Most Common Conditions Associated with Chronic Pain." Verywell. N.p., 31 Jan. 2017. Web. 03 July 2017.
4. Sexton, Adam. "Studies Suggests Chiropractic Care Reduces Need for Opioid Prescriptions." WMUR. WMUR, 18 Mar. 2017. Web. 03 July 2017.
5. Gounder, Celine. "Who Is Responsible for the Pain-Pill Epidemic?" The New Yorker. The New Yorker, 19 June 2017. Web. 03 July 2017.
6. Petersen, Donald, Jr. "AMA Validates Chiropractic?" Dynamic Chiropractic Digital Issue. N.p., 1 July 2017. Web. 03 July 2017.
Karla Jo Helms, JoTo PR, http://www.jotopr.com, +1 888-202-4614 Ext: 802, [email protected]
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