Legal action against opioid manufacturers could have far-reaching results
Some 35 counties in California are participating in a lawsuit against several opioid manufacturers, seeking to recover some of the billions of dollars in funding that have been directed toward the cost of opioid abuse and help for opioid addicts.
More than 33,000 people in the United States died in 2015 as a result of opioid misuse, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse.
Should the outcome of the lawsuit point towards tighter guidelines on the use and prescription of opioids, it stands to reason that many patients may turn towards more holistic means of controlling their pain—such as massage therapy.
It’s not just California either, as a similar lawsuit is taking shape in that state of Ohio. Of course, due to the sheer size of California’s population, that lawsuit is receiving the majority of attention for the time being. One county has seen opioid misuse exceed automobile accidents as the number-one cause of accidental death.
As massage therapy continues to mount evidence in its favor as a treatment alternative for pain, it stands to reason that more people may be persuaded to give the holistic approach a try over these increasingly misused medications.
“Painkillers are useful in managing chronic pain conditions, but they should not be used as a long-term solution,” said Sandip Sekhon, founder of Pathways Pain Relief, a clinic specializing in addressing chronic pain.
SOURCE: Massage Mag
