Dec. 19, 2019—Living with chronic pain is tough, and finding some relief is essential. In recent years that relief for many people meant taking opioids. Prescription opioids work well for short-term pain, such as after surgery. But there’s little evidence for using them for long-term pain that isn't caused by cancer—such as back pain or osteoarthritis. Prescribing them for this type of chronic pain is one of the drivers of the current opioid crisis.
Anyone who takes prescription opioids can become addicted to them. And, once addicted, it can be hard to stop. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are ways to help control pain that may actually work better than opioids and have fewer side effects.
If you're taking opioids for chronic pain, you may want to talk with your doctor about alternatives. Here are some possible options for you:
Nonopioid medicines, which come in both over-the-counter and prescription strengths. They include acetaminophen and anti-inflammatory drugs like ibuprofen. Talk with your doctor about the pros and cons of using these medicines in the long term. Other medicines sometimes used to treat pain include:
- Antidepressants.
- Anticonvulsive medicines.
- Nerve blocks or patches.
- Ointments and creams.
Acupuncture, which involves inserting very thin needles at specific spots in your skin to interrupt pain signals.
Biofeedback, which helps you learn to control body functions such as your heart rate, blood pressure and muscle tension. The goal is to reduce your pain and stress level.
Cognitive behavioral therapy, which is a form of short-term counseling that may help reduce your reaction to pain.
Electrical nerve stimulation, which uses electrical impulses to relieve pain.
Guided imagery, which teaches you how to direct your thoughts so that you can create mental pictures that may help you relax, manage anxiety, sleep better and have less pain.
Massage therapy, which can release tension in tight muscles.
Mind-body stress reduction, which combines mindfulness, body awareness and yoga to increase relaxation and reduce pain.
Physical therapy, which uses a variety of techniques to help you manage everyday activities with less pain. It also teaches you ways to improve flexibility and strength.
Lifestyle changes can help relieve pain too
Here are some other ways you might help yourself feel better:
- Maintain a healthy weight. Extra pounds can make some pain worse. A healthy weight, on the other hand, might help with pain in the knees, back, hips or feet.
- Get regular exercise. Pain might make you inactive, which can lead to more pain and loss of function. Moving more can help.
- Get sufficient sleep. It can reduce pain sensitivity, help healing and improve mood.
- Avoid tobacco, caffeine and alcohol. These can interfere with treatment and increase pain.
- Join a pain support group. Sometimes talking to other people about how they deal with pain can prove helpful. You might learn some new ideas that might work for you.
If you have cancer-related pain
Opioids are often the first-line treatment for cancer pain. However, you might consider other options too. Pain management for cancer has come a long way. Listen to your body and talk to your doctor.