Getting older isn’t for the faint of heart, but hope is alive and well because Chiropractic can help older adults with a variety of preventive care plans. Chiropractic care offers a safe and gentle, drug-free means to facilitating health and well-being. For an overview of how many older adults seek care, a 2021 study by BioMedical Central Geriatics (BMC Geriatics) cited that out of the almost 7,000 chiropractor-adult patient encounters studied, one in six was 65 or older, with back pain, neck pain and lower limb pain cited as common ailments. Other common complaints and concerns, such as arthritis, joint pain, balance issues and the possibility of falls, can be mitigated or prevented through chiropractic care as well.

Balance Boosting and Fall Prevention

Falls pose a major risk to older adults, with about one million fall-related hospitalizations occurring on an annual basis according to the CDC. Preventive chiropractic care can help to avoid a bad fall or mitigate its severity.  A 2012 Chiropractic & Manual Therapies journal article titled “The role of chiropractic care in older adults” noted how exercise interventions and other physical activity can help improve balance and stability in older adults, therefore reducing fall risk. The chiropractic care for joint pain and stiffness can also have a positive impact related to balance.

Arthritis Alleviation Through Chiropractic

(Adapted from Healthline’s article, “Can Chiropractic Care Help Relieve Symptoms of Rheumatoid Arthritis?”)

Chiropractic care is considered a valid complementary therapy for arthritis pain relief, most specifically Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). It can help to relieve RA symptoms by reducing inflammation, balancing the function of the body through the chiropractic adjustment and proper alignment of the spine and joints. Adjustments could also help lower the production of proteins that potentially build up in the immune system, worsening inflammation response.

According to the Arthritis Foundation, misaligned joints tend not to work productively, and chiropractic care can potentially progress some arthritis cases through improved joint function. In 2013, Osteoarthritis Research Society International published a study that reported those who took part in biweekly chiropractic visits over a six-week period experienced more relief from joint pain than when only participating in standard stretching or physical therapy regimens. The length of time it takes to see a result will vary.

Healthier Pain Management for Older Adults

As the population ages and many of us are living longer, the aches and pains associated with growing older must be managed in a safe and effective way. In our previous article “Reimagining pain management with chiropractic care and other methods,” we discussed the expanding health care shift away from problematic opioid therapy to non-pharmacological approaches to improve physical and mental health.

Safe management of pain is paramount to a brighter future for everyone, but especially older adults. According to the National Center for Health Statistic’s November 2020 Data Brief, chronic pain is a growing concern plaguing the American population, with 20.4% of adults reporting chronic pain in 2019. Chronic pain and high-impact chronic pain, as in pain that frequently limits the ability to live and work in a desired manner, appear to increase with age and appear most prevalent among adults ages 65 and over. Additionally, adults living in more rural areas appear to be at a higher risk for chronic pain symptoms.

For mild to moderate pain, it’s been a common practice to take over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol (Acetaminophen) or Advil (Ibuprofen). For more severe pain, opioids had often been used, but many healthcare professionals are now further limiting their use due to addiction concerns and rising overdose rates related to opioid misuse. Over-prescribing of opioids and misleading pharmaceutical marketing tactics since the 1990s have contributed to the U.S. Opioid Crisis, with roughly 68% of drug overdose deaths involving an opioid (2017) and 130 Americans dying from an opioid overdose daily, 46 of which on average are related to prescription opioid use. It is also estimated that approximately 41% of patients participating in pain management primarily based on opioid therapy may develop opioid dependence.

Combining active and passive healing modalities in a patient’s routine can help alleviate pain and set the patient up for better pain management in the long-term. Active methods tend to relate to a patient’s movement and a personal health and fitness regimen, incorporating regular safe exercise, yoga, tai chi and potentially physical therapy. Passive methods refer to receiving chiropractic care, acupuncture or massages. Emotional monitoring can also be beneficial, as pain can be attributed to stress, so meditation, mindfulness and talk therapy should be considered as viable care options as well.

A 2020 academic journal article published in Pain Medicine title “Impact of Chiropractic Care on Use of Prescription Opioids in Patients with Spinal Pain” proved particularly encouraging in its findings on chiropractic care as viable pain management.

“Among patients with spinal pain disorders, for recipients of chiropractic care, the risk of filling a prescription for an opioid analgesic over a six-year period was reduced by half, as compared with non-recipients. Among those who saw a chiropractor within 30 days of being diagnosed with a spinal pain disorder, the reduction in risk was greater as compared with those who visited a chiropractor after the acute phase had passed,” the article stated.

Conclusion

Growing older is certainly not for the faint of heart, but with a bit of careful planning and self-care, the golden years can be as bright as you deserve. Chiropractic care is designed to facilitate health for seniors with drug-free and gentle techniques.