Over 100 million individuals in the United States alone suffer from chronic pain. In fact, studies show that the economic burden of chronic pain exceeds $600 billion.
Many Americans struggle with conditions that are associated with chronic pain such as severe headaches and migraines, back pain, arthritis, and cancer just to mention a few.
Millions of prescriptions are written by doctors each day for opioid-based pain medications. Unfortunately, opioids are the most commonly used medication for chronic pain at a time when the U.S. is in the midst of an opioid epidemic. Many of the powerful opioids used in pain management are known to cause harmful side effects and can often lead to addiction.
Although opioids have been used effectively to manage chronic pain, there are better and safer alternatives that are even more effective.
There are alternative non-opioid pain treatments available today including medications, exercise and physical therapy, neuromodulation, electrical signals, radio waves, and many more.
Let’s look at some of the common non-narcotic alternatives for pain management.
Non-Narcotic Alternatives for Pain Management
There are several non-narcotic alternatives for pain management that can be used alone or together with medications to provide relief from chronic pain.
A few examples include the following:
1. Physical Therapy
This method is usually performed by a physical therapist or a medical expert who specializes in physical rehabilitation.
The therapist will create an effective exercise program to help you enhance your physical motion while reducing pain. Some of the techniques used by physical therapists include ultrasound, whirlpools, and deep-muscle massage.
2. Acupuncture
An acupuncturist helps in pain management by inserting thin needles into different parts of your skin. The therapy focuses on interrupting pain signals and rewiring them in a way that helps you heal.
3. Medical Surgery
There are cases when other pain relief medications are ineffective making it necessary to undergo surgery. The surgery is usually performed to address abnormalities in your body that are causing chronic pain.
4. Nerve Blocks
Nerve pain or muscle spasms can be treated using injections and nerve block techniques. The injections can help by short-circuiting the pain.
5. Massage and Meditation
There are also many people who use massage, meditation, and other relaxation techniques to get relief from chronic pain.
Most of these techniques usually involve learning ways to control involuntary functions of your body like heart rate to leave you calm, relaxed, and free of pain.
High-Tech Pain Management Methods
There are some patients suffering from chronic pain and cannot find relief from non-opioid medications and physical therapy.
In such cases, it becomes necessary to seek the latest technologies for pain relief including the following:
1. Radio Ablation
This technique involves inserting a needle near the nerve that’s causing the pain and burning the nerve using radio waves. The process basically short-circuits the pain signal and may provide relief for as long as one year.
2. Electric Signals
Patients can also get short-term pain relief through a process known as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation.
The technique is used to manage muscle pain. It works by sending tiny electrical impulses to the affected area using small devices attached to the skin.
3. Spinal Cord Stimulation (SCS)
SCS uses a device similar to a heart pacemaker to replace the painful experience with a tingling massage-like sensation which is more tolerable. The device is usually implanted in the lower back and attached to the spinal cord using tiny wires.
It comes with a remote control that patients can use to send the feel-good signals to the painful area. The technique is used to manage back pain and numbness in the legs typically suffered by diabetic patients.
4. Pain Pumps
These are basically special pumps that a patient uses to deliver pain medication to the spinal cord with a push of a button.
The pump offers pain relief without having to take oral medications or injections. It gives you control over pain and is often used by cancer patients to manage pain.
Beat Your Opioid Addiction With Help From The Experts at Innovo Detox
Given the extent at which people are taking opioid-based pain relief medications, it is no surprise why there is an opioid epidemic across the country. Most people trace their opioid addiction to the misuse or abuse of pharmaceutical drugs for pain relief.
If you or your loved one is abusing their pain medication pills or think you may have an opioid addiction, Innovo Detox is here to help. We offer the latest evidence-based psychiatric, medical, and clinical care at our healthcare detox facility in Pennsylvania.
We specialize in a wide range of detox services including benzodiazepine, cocaine, marijuana, alcohol and opioid addictions.
If you or someone you know needs help for addiction or co-occurring disorders, please give us a call. Innovo Detox offers the latest in evidence-based medical, psychiatric, and clinical care for those in need of detox and medical stabilization in Pennsylvania and the surrounding Mid-Atlantic area. If we aren’t the best fit for you or a loved one, we will take the necessary time to work with you to find a detox, rehab, treatment center or provider that better fits your needs. Please give us a call at (717) 912-4297 or email our team at info@innovodetox.com. For more information on our company or services, please visit our website at www.innovodetox.com.