Chemical dependency isn’t a sign of poor character, and that’s just as true for opiate dependency as it is for any other addiction. Many addictions to opiates slowly develop after a patient is prescribed medication, and some addicts may avoid treatment out of concerns that they won’t be able to manage their pain without opiates. Fortunately, there are a number of options that professionals can prescribe in the wake of addiction treatment.
Alternative Medications
Opiates have become one of the most common methods for pain relief, but their highly addictive nature makes their effectiveness a double-edged sword. Fortunately, there are a number of alternative drugs on the market that don’t have the same addictive properties. Some of these include:
- SNRIs: Short for serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, these drugs have been effectively used to deal with fibromyalgia and musculoskeletal pain, and they’re also being increasingly employed as a method for treating depression.
- TCAs: While tricyclic antidepressants are primarily used to treat depression, they’ve also been demonstrated to alleviate the effects of multiple forms of chronic pain.
- Anticonvulsants: These drugs are one of the most popularly assigned drugs for the treatment of nerve pain, though researchers are still studying the precise reason behind what makes these medications so effective.
- Anti-inflammatory drugs (non-steroid): These drugs don’t come with the disadvantages that can be expected from steroid treatments, and they’re known to have a positive effect in the treatment of chronic pain.
Physical Therapy
Opioids are typically assigned for the treatment of pain because they offer quick and immediate relief, but an addiction to painkillers are becoming more prevalent, it’s becoming obvious that a quick and easy solution brings its own problems. Chronic use of opioids often has a negative effect on the body’s capacity for physical treatment, because the body needs to be reprogrammed to recognize that not every touch is a painful experience. That said, physical therapy and counseling used in conjunction with one another can provide long-term solutions that don’t carry a risk of addiction.
Alternative Medicine
While holistic treatments often don’t have the same level of credibility as more traditional medicine, they can still be useful methods for managing pain, often in conjunction with more accepted scientific methods. A treatment center may suggest everything from chiropractic care and massages to acupuncture and herbal remedies. The most important thing to remember is that risk of pain doesn’t need to be an excuse to avoid intervention. If you’re willing to take the first step towards recovery, there are professionals who can help you find a healthy and alternate path to management. Call us today at 833-846-5669 to learn more about addiction therapy and alternate pain treatment methods.