Back pain remains a persistent and debilitating problem for many people in the United States and around the world. News that the opioid crisis in America has been fueled in part by the overprescribing of pain medications for low back pain amplifies the need for the chiropractic profession to continue spreading its message about the value of a conservative approach to back pain treatment. To this end, National Chiropractic Health Month (NCHM) goes “Back to Basics” this year by focusing on overall health and injury prevention as key strategies in maintaining spinal health throughout a lifetime—and highlighting the growing body of research supporting a conservative approach to back pain treatment.
There are several ways ACA members can get involved during NCHM. The first thing to do is review our NCHM Sample Marketing Plan for ideas that will work for you and your practice, school or group. You’ll find the plan, as well as all related resources, at www.acatoday.org/NCHMtoolkit. Feel free to follow our suggestions or get creative and come up with your own ideas. We are impressed every year by the inventive ways that doctors, students, CAs and staff find to celebrate NCHM!
We urge you to go all out for NCHM, but if your time and resources are limited, may we suggest a few basics to get you involved…but not over your head:
- If you are not already doing so, follow ACA’s social media channels and repost/retweet our NCHM-related content throughout October. This is one of the easiest ways to raise the visibility of NCHM, the chiropractic profession and your own practice or organization. By reposting, you amplify our messages and tremendously extend the reach of the campaign. Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube. \
- Talk to your patients about NCHM or host an event in your practice. Print out the campaign fact sheets and place them in your waiting room or clinic treatment rooms, where they can be shared easily. Let patients know that the chiropractic profession is doing its part to address the opioid epidemic by promoting its non-drug, non-invasive approach to back pain treatment. According to an article in USA Today last year, more than half of all Americans know someone who is addicted to opioids, so it’s likely many of your patients will have firsthand knowledge of the problem.
- Send a news release to your local media. If you have never reached out to local media about chiropractic services, NCHM is always a good opportunity to start a relationship with local editors, writers and news directors. ACA offers a sample news release that you can customize with your own name and practice information, and then forward to local media. Offer yourself as a spokesperson who can offer tips about back pain prevention and treatment. Step-by-step instructions are included in the toolkit.
- Post the NCHM “Healthy Back Tips” video on your clinic website or post it on your social media channels. Be sure to use the hashtag #BacktoBasics.
Again, look for all of these resources and more at www.acatoday.org/NCHMtoolkit.
With everyone pulling together, this year’s National Chiropractic Health Month is sure to be a success and expand the public’s understanding of the options available to them when it comes to back pain prevention and treatment. We urge you to keep ACA posted on any big plans by emailing us at [email protected] or using the hashtag #BacktoBasics so that we can find your posts online!
About National Chiropractic Health Month
National Chiropractic Health Month, an initiative of the American Chiropractic Association (ACA), raises awareness of the benefits of chiropractic care and its national, whole-person, patient-centered and drug-free approach to health and wellness. Learn more at www.acatoday.org/NCHM.
