Alternatives to Opiates in Treating Pain

MastHead Outline
March 27, 2018

Whether you suffered an injury that has left you with chronic pain or you have a medical condition that causes debilitating pain often, you don’t have to resort to using opiate drugs in order to obtain pain relief. There are many effective alternatives to opiate use that can ease the pain in your body without causing some of the problematic side effects from the opiate medication. These alternatives include:

Exercise and Other Forms of Physical Rehabilitation

Many forms of exercise help your muscles become stronger so that they support your spinal column and bones more effectively, thus enabling your body to function better. Physical activity also helps your joints stay more flexible, reduces anxiety and depression, and helps you maintain a healthy weight. Obesity can increase your pain levels, since it puts unnecessary pressure on your bones, muscles and joints. Exercise also releases endorphins into your body, and this is effective in helping to block pain signals. All these factors allow your body to heal more quickly and efficiently. The doctor may prescribe physical therapy or rehab to help combat the pain or recommend beneficial exercises, such as yoga, walking, swimming or biking, to enable you to enjoy relief from your pain.

Different Medications

Opiate use is sometimes necessary to treat severe or long-lasting pain, but withdrawal from these medications can be difficult and painful. Other medications useful in treating chronic or acute pain are Ofirmev, Caldorlol, Gabapentin and Lyrica. Cymbalta, topical Diclofenac and tricyclic antidepressants are quite effective in relieving pain symptoms as well.

Acupuncture

In the last few decades, acupuncture has been found to be a viable option in obtaining relief from pain. It is a useful component in comprehensive pain control. The acupuncturist uses needles, pressure, heat and other treatments to resolve or reduce painful symptoms. This alternative form of medicine assists the body in healing itself.

Essential Oils

Essential oils are oils extracted from plants and other sources. They can be used for massaging pressure points, added to your bath water, heated in a diffuser to disperse the essential oil into the air, put in a hot or cold compress, and used many other ways. A couple of essential oils that are helpful in reducing pain and inflammation include peppermint and helichrysum. Others that are effective in relaxing the muscles and easing stiffness are juniper, eucalyptus and black pepper oil.

Massage Therapy

A massage feels great, but it is also beneficial in reducing pain and contributes to your overall well-being. Massage soothes the tension in your muscles and helps relieve the stress in your body. This type of therapy increases the blood flow in your body and releases the body’s own natural hormones and painkillers, thus relaxing your muscles and providing you with a feeling of well-being and contentment. Alternatives to taking opiate medications are quite effective in reducing your pain. Don’t despair; if one method doesn’t seem to help, there are others to explore. These alternatives are becoming more popular, as researchers praise their value every time more benefits are uncovered. These alternatives can help avoid the side effects and symptoms that opiate medications and other different procedures may cause. You don’t have to tolerate chronic or acute pain; there are proactive ways to control and reduce this debilitating problem so that you may regain your quality of life!