The investigators are interested in the evaluation of alternative treatments for managing chronic pain in various groups of patients. The topicality of this issue comes from the growing concerns about traditional opioid therapy and multiple negative aspects. That is why, Penney, Ritenbaugh, DeBar, Elder, and Deyo (2016) conduct a qualitative study aimed at the evaluation of outcomes of alternative therapies regarding pain management. The hypothesis offered by the authors states that acupuncture and chiropractic can be effective options for patients who suffer from chronic pain. This statement also preconditions the objective of the study which is to identify practical issues patients might face while trying to use non-pharmacological pain management methods.
To collect the relevant information for the discussion, 129 participants are engaged in the study. All individuals were interviewed with the primary aim to understand their attitudes to the proposed alternative treatment, its efficiency, and problems they face while trying to refuse using opiates (Penney et al., 2016). The research was conducted within a care organization in the Pacific Northwest (Penney et al., 2016). The reason for the selection is the reported benefit from chiropractic and acupuncture interventions.
Thus, in the course of the research, the authors conclude that the selected ways of managing pain can be effective in struggling against chronic problems. The majority of participants outline their dissatisfaction with the prolonged use of opiates and their negative impact on their health. For this reason, they might prefer utilizing these methods to resist pain.
References
Penney, L., Ritenbaugh, C., DeBar, L., Elder, C., & Deyo, R. (2016). Provider and patient perspectives on opioids and alternative treatments for managing chronic pain: A qualitative study. BMC Family Practice, 17, 164.