Jeff LangmaidFounder, The Evidence Based Chiropractor

Chiropractic Reduces Opioid Risk by 71%?! The Shocking Truth!

15 Oct 2025 · 1 min

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A YouTube video by Jeff Langmaid discussing a study of >744,000 sciatica patients comparing those who received chiropractic spinal manipulation versus usual medical care (no chiropractic). Patients were followed for one year for opioid-related adverse drug events (ORAD); the presenter reports a 71% lower risk of such events among chiropractic patients.

Questions this video answers

Over 744,000 patients diagnosed with sciatica.

Group 1: patients who received chiropractic spinal manipulation; Group 2: patients who received usual medical care (no chiropractic).

One year.

ORAD (opioid-related adverse drug event).

71% lower risk compared to usual medical care patients.

Chapters

So in this study, they looked at over 744,000 patients diagnosed with sciatica, a lot of people. And these patients were split into two primary groups. Group number one were those who received chiropractic spinal manipulation. Group number two was those who received usual medical care, but no chiropractic. They tracked these patients not for a day, not for a week, not for a month, but for a full year, to see who experienced an opioid related adverse drug event, or orad, as they called it here, opioid related adverse drug event. And the results were absolutely stunning, meaning patients who received chiropractic care had a 71% lower risk of opioid related adverse events compared to those who received usual medical care, a 71% lower risk. That is astronomically high.