The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) generated a guideline for opioid prescription six years ago to reduce the number of lives lost from overdose. Consequently, those taking opioids for chronic pain relief have challenges receiving a prescription or obtaining dosages high enough to relieve pain and/or manage withdrawal.
Unfortunately, while many of the prescriptions worked in treating chronic pain, they also produced a dependency. As the body acclimated to receiving specific doses, a point was reached where pain relief was no longer effective, necessitating a larger dosage to alleviate symptoms.
The result was both a dependency and the high propensity of people to overdose, as they needed more of the drug for the same effect. Furthermore, if more of the drug could not be obtained, people went into withdrawal, producing even more deadly physical and mental health symptoms.
Now, the CDC is reducing barriers and is building a foundation for opioid use based on best practices for pain relief. If you need help managing chronic conditions that cause chronic pain, new guidelines are now available to support your overall well-being.
While Canada has its own governing body regarding opioid prescriptions, the CDC still influences how we handle their usage in treating chronic pain.
Chronic pain conditions can worsen with excess weight. Therefore, sometimes relief can be found in losing weight to alleviate pain. Weight gain increases mechanical stress on the spine and joints, leading to systemic inflammation. The most commonly affected areas are the axial skeleton and lower body.
Specific areas in the body that experience pain from weight gain are:
As to the specifics surrounding how weight gain can cause chronic pain, they can be found here. To lose weight, it is crucial to consume a well-balanced diet and partake in regular exercise.
Remaining physically active regardless of some discomfort can help manage common pain conditions (fibromyalgia, back pain, and arthritis). Exercise doesn’t have to be intense to be effective. There are many modifications you can make to achieve the desired results while maintaining your physical fitness.
For example, to reduce muscle and ligament strain, you can participate in swimming or water aerobics. Additionally, many people choose “lazy fit” exercises. These exercises use a stool or a bed to offload pressure on the body during exercise.
Physical therapy helps restore and maintain a person’s ability to walk and move. Occupational therapy enhances the performance of daily activities, such as bathing, dressing, and eating.
This massage approach can alleviate pain by relaxing tense muscles, joints, and tendons. It can relieve anxiety and stress, or prevent pain messages from being transmitted to and from your brain.
A chiropractor will correct your body’s alignment to improve function and prevent pain, in order to assist the body in healing itself.
With this method, very fine needles are inserted into your skin at specific points on your body. It can alleviate pain by releasing endorphins (natural pain-killing chemicals). It can also influence serotonin levels (a neurotransmitter associated with mood).
Also called low-level laser therapy, this technique treats pain issues. Cold lasers deliver pure light using a single wavelength. The injured area absorbs the wavelength to stimulate tissue repair and decrease inflammation.
This machine-assisted solution helps individuals take control of their body responses, including pain.
TENS machines use mild electrical currents to block pain signals going from the body to your brain.
Tissues absorb sound waves, which can sometimes be used to reduce inflammation, improve circulation, and accelerate healing.
Cold is useful shortly after an injury to reduce inflammation, relieve pain/muscle spasms, and facilitate a quicker recovery. Heat increases pain threshold and relaxes your muscles.
This mind-body exercise combines meditation, breath control, and movement to strengthen and stretch muscles, assisting with conditions such as chronic pain, including low back pain, fibromyalgia, and headaches.
A medicine containing ointment and cream is applied to your skin to reduce pain. However, it should never be used in place of additional treatments.
With non-opioid treatment, some of these medications are effective in treating condition-specific pain.
Corticosteroid injections are occasionally used to treat inflammation and pain from sciatica, arthritis, and other conditions.
Relaxation techniques commonly include:
Psychotherapy provides many pain relief and management outlets. It can assist in reframing negative thinking about pain, which may interfere with your ability to function in work, relationships, and life in general.
Since chronic pain can lead to anxiety and depression, you may be advised to take medications and psychotherapy for overall mental health.
This approach assists in building skills to cope with the emotional challenges of chronic pain and mental health conditions. It may include dealing with emotions and thoughts that increase pain, as well as mindfulness techniques and relaxation methods. Some individuals maintain a pain diary to track what makes their discomfort worse or better for an improved treatment plan.
At New Dawn Medical, our staff provides help and support for people looking for chronic pain relief and treats opioid addictions. The challenge with an opioid addiction is that it targets the brain’s functioning (areas associated with the pleasure/reward system). While stopping usage can be challenging, we help manage both the symptoms and pain levels by providing better alternatives.
Contact our pain clinic at 647-625-8799 or toll-free at 1-833-456-DAWN. Patients can also book an appointment here or email us at info@newdawnmed.com. The first step begins with a consultation, and with 20 locations across Ontario, help is always nearby.
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