Tucson Acupuncture and Wellness Empowers Patients with a Surprisingly Effective Opioid Alternate

In response to the opioid epidemic, more and more individuals are seeking alternative care in place of highly-addictive medication

TUCSON, AZ / A​CCESSWIRE / April 6, 2023 / Though the opioid epidemic began in the 1990s, it continues to wreak havoc on America today. In 2020 alone, the CDC estimated that the number of opioid-related overdose deaths spiked from 50,000 to 70,000, making up most of the country's staggering 93,000 overdose deaths. And more than 80% of these deaths are from synthetic opioids like fentanyl.

It's not just young people who suffer from the opioid epidemic: now more than ever, ​senior citizens are experiencing heightened risk of falling prey to opioid addiction and overdose. Over the past twenty years, the rates of drug overdoses from those aged 65 and older increased from 2.4 deaths per 100,000 standard population to 8.8.

In the wake of such grim opioid epidemic statistics, alternative clinic Tucson Acupuncture and Wellness aims to substitute opioids with preventative care. Helmed by Renee Stucklen, her acupuncture clinic explores how to use acupuncture and other wellness techniques to steer elderly patients away from unnecessary, highly addictive medicine, and embeds alternative care into their post-fall and surgery treatment plans.

Over the years, Stucklen has seen many older patients post-hip surgery or hip fall, and what happens when traditional care lets them down.

"18-33% of seniors die within a year of a hip fracture," Stucklen says. "And the ones who do make it experience a loss of mobility and independence."

Instead of turning to addictive drugs, Stucklen says that seniors can relieve pain and stay active through Chinese medicine therapies, including acupuncture, exercise therapy, and orthopedic massage.

Unlike conventional pain relief medication, acupuncture has no detrimental side effects, is not addictive, and reduces the number of pain medications seniors take. "In an era where we are experiencing a fentanyl crisis, finding pain relief through the body's endogenous opioid system can prove a life-changing solution," Stucklen says.

When you use these tools before a fall happens, acupuncture can be even more impactful. "Conventionally," she continues, "care is done after a fall or injury. Unfortunately, many seniors do not receive care to prevent injuries from occurring in the first place." But by preventing falls before they happen, she reasons, we may reduce opioid dependency in elderly patients while also improving their quality of life.

Modern acupuncture reduces falls by treating preventable conditions such as peripheral neuropathy, as it improves nerve conduction in both sensory and motor nerves. As a result, seniors can gain more sensation in their feet and limbs, allowing their balance and mobility to drastically improve. Seniors may then enjoy a more active, stable life that ultimately reduces the number and severity of falls.

Ultimately, acupuncture benefits any individual who wants to take their wellness into their own hands, while relying less on prescription medication. As the opioid epidemic continues to ravage the American landscape, more and more seniors are turning to alternative wellness for preventative and post-surgical care.

ABOUT

Tucson Acupuncture and Wellness provides world-class acupuncture and integrative medicine in Tucson, Arizona, and offers hope and relief to those struggling with chronic health conditions. In 2022, Tucson Acupuncture and Wellness was voted Best of Tucson for Alternative Pain Management in Lovin Life After 50 and Best Alternative Health Center in Tucson Weekly. For more information, visit Tucson Acupuncture at TucsonAcupunctureAndWellness.com. For additional information, visit Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

CONTACT:
Renee Stucklen
520-849-9003
info@TucsonAcupunctureAndWellness.com

SOURCE: ​Tucson Acupuncture and Wellness

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