Most insurance plans will cover either all or a portion of the treatment.
Content Reviewed By:
SUD treatment executive, national news contributor & keynote speaker.
Navigation:
- Overview
- Why Is Chiropractic Therapy Important in Addiction Treatment?
- How Does Chiropractic Therapy Work In Rehab?
- Helping Patients Embrace Rehab and Recovery
- How Do I Find A Rehab That Offers Chiropractic Therapy?
Overview
Prolonged and untreated substance use wreaks havoc on the body. Physical withdrawal symptoms extend everywhere, including the musculoskeletal system (joints, tendons, muscles, ligaments, etc.). For many patients, addressing these issues while in rehab is critical for successful completion of treatment and lasting recovery.
This is why more and more rehabs are offering some level of chiropractic therapy as part of their treatment programs. Whether offered at the facility itself or coordinated with a specialist partner with the help of patients’ case managers, chiropractic therapy has the ability to fix long-dormant physical issues as well as those that may have been aggravated through the course of addiction, to improve mood, mobility and quality of life.
Why Is Chiropractic Therapy Important in Addiction Treatment?
When we think of the rigors that bodies may endure in the throes of addiction, the prospect of chiropractic services as part of addiction rehab makes all the sense in the world. Some of the more important benefits of these services include, but are not limited to:
- Easing of Withdrawal Symptoms: The withdrawal process brings to bear a wide range of physical symptoms that can be directly relieved through a course of chiropractic care, including but not limited muscle and joint pain, back and neck pain, and others. These symptoms don’t magically go away once someone makes the decision to stop drinking or using drugs. Consistent and incremental chiropractic therapy helps to gradually ease them.
- Acute Injury Management and Treatment: Sometimes patients make the decision to seek treatment after a serious physically traumatic event, such as a car accident, physical altercation, or anything else. Chiropractic therapy can help provide immediate relief and improvised mobility to help patients regain their quality of life and further embrace treatment.
- It Helps Patients Who Are Recovering from Prescription Painkillers: Patients who experience hyperalgesia (extreme sensitivity to pain) or even moderate chronic pain seldom have access to the addictive painkillers that many use to provide release from such conditions. Chiropractic and occupational therapy can help make pain less and intense and help patients resist the urge to turn to narcotics for relief.
- Focused and Intentional Therapy: Chiropractic therapy is not guesswork. It involved trained and experienced treatment providers focusing on the explicitly problematic areas of misalignment and addressing them with precision and focus. It usually provides immediate relief rather than patients having to wait for the intensity of their conditions to diminish.
- A Roadmap for Ongoing Treatment and Relief: The benefits and need for chiropractic care will, in all likelihood, extend way beyond the initial timeline of your program. By starting chiropractic care in rehab, you can get insights into your specific pain points, the progress you have made, and what you still need to work on as you continue post-treatment therapy. You may be able to integrate chiropractic therapy as part of your aftercare plan after you leave your treatment program. Talk to your case manager and program coordinator about your options during your post-discharge planning.
How Does Chiropractic Therapy Work In Rehab?
Depending upon your program model and facility resources, you may undergo chiropractic care from clinicians on staff at your treatment center or be referred to therapy at a partner clinic. The length of your therapy will be contingent upon your progress and ongoing care needs. It’s important to realize that chiropractic therapy is most effective when integrated into a comprehensive care program that offers medically supervised detox and withdrawal management, as well as comprehensive behavioral therapy. Your case manager will continue to monitor your progress and guide you toward the most effective and medically appropriate care.
Helping Patients Embrace Rehab and Recovery
Nobody wants to go through rehab when they’re in pain. The first few days and weeks are, very often, incredibly taxing on the body. Very often these intense aches and pains are enough to discourage patients from further treatment altogether. On the other hand, they will be much more inclined to stay engaged with their treatment if they’re not constantly battling intense pain. Chiropractic therapy serves as a sort of clinical guardrail between patients and relapse, giving them the physical relief they need to stay motivated and enthusiastic about their treatment.
How Do I Find A Rehab That Offers Chiropractic Therapy?
The quickest and most direct way to find a facility that offers chiropractic care is through our directory or contacting an admissions representative at the facility you’re considering. They will be able to provide a full breakdown of their treatment services, and also conduct a full insurance verification to determine whether your coverage includes chiropractic services and how much you may need to pay for out of pocket. You don’t have to let pain keep you from
