In many ways, Gabapentin has become the new OxyContin being abused and misused by doctors who still do not understand the lessons learned from the Opioid crisis. Gabapentin is being used for so many things with off label use growing. The medication in 2016 was prescribed 64 million times in 2016 as revealed in an older blog post with little evidence it actually works. More recently, a study in the BMJ (British Medical Journal) showed that patients who were being treated with Gabapentin for lower back pain is associated with increased risk of dementia and cognitive impairment, particularly in non-elderly adults. The study was a warning to physicians about using a drug for lower back pain that can cause other problems for their patients. The irony here is that the research on lower back pain which is a condition with multiple causes related to body style, life style, sex and other factors that are physical and aggravated by the emotional component is being treated with a drug that does nothing but make lower back pain chronic when the mechanical cause is not treated effectively. Poor lower back and core function will lead to knee and hip pain, damaged lower and upper extremity joints and even neck pain when the mechanical cause is ignored but the patient is taking a drug that does not address the problem as they worsen with age. The irony in medicine is a group of doctors named chiropractic physicians is very effective in treatment of the conditions related to back pain’s causes without drugs, unnecessary tests, ineffective therapies or surgeries. The rising Gabapentin use which was listed in the ClinicCalc.com website estimated that 46 million prescriptions were given in 2023. Based on what we know now and the lessons learned about pain medications in the treatment of lower back pain, these patients should be referred to chiropractors instead. The evidence supports this idea but will doctors and the systems they work in support the idea or continue to prescribe a drug that just replaced another drug that caused so much damage. While the damage over time when physical problems are poorly diagnosed and treated, the medication has growing evidence of caused dementia and other long term problems. Better lower back care begins with chiropractic physicians. We are holistic. What do you see? What does your chiropractor see. This photo says it all. Understanding back pain begins from the ground up and the condition causing back, leg, knee, hip, neck, shoulder, elbow and wrist issues begins when we are young. We just don’t see ourselves that way but a licensed chiropractor can. Need help today? Book online or call either of our offices..