People in Tucson are begging for alternatives to opioid painkillers. Many people outright refuse to take them. People who have been prescribed opioids are looking for a different solution. The opioid crisis is serious in America, and people who recognize the dangers are desperately seeking change.
Non-habit forming painkillers are hard to come by, as painkillers work by changing the brain. They do nothing to treat the source of the pain. They alter the brain’s ability to perceive the pain. Those taking opioid painkillers find that as soon as the medication wears off on their minds, their pain is back. The medicine doesn’t fix anything, and many people want more from their doctors.
Treatment methods that address the cause of the pain and can stimulate a healing response, such as massage therapy, are beginning to become the much needed alternative for people who would rather live a life free from opioids.
The Dangers Of Opioid Painkillers
Every year, about 58 million people use opioid medications, and more than 35 million people deal with drug abuse issues. Opioid medications are among the easiest to get. They’re readily prescribed by doctors. Many people who use opioid medications would never even consider purchasing illicit drugs off of the street. Some of them are against smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol. They’re health conscious and they want to make the right choices.
The problem with opioids is that they, by nature, are extremely addictive. Dependency on the drug is one of the most common known side effects, and anyone prescribed opioids for long term use will experience dangerous and sometimes painful withdrawal symptoms of they decide to stop taking the drug cold turkey.
This has led many people to speculate that opioid use is unsafe, even if the opioid is prescribed by a doctor at the minimum dosage necessary. Most people are hesitant to begin using a drug they know is extremely addictive, especially if they believe their actual need for the drug will only be short term.
Patients Want Alternatives
Patients looking to avoid opioids or to safely stop using opioids are always seeking alternative methods of pain management that won’t be habit forming. Better still, they’d like pain management methods that actually treat the source of the pain, rather than their brain’s perception of that pain.
The solution to overdue bills isn’t forgetting to pay them so you don’t worry about them. It’s managing your budget and paying that bill. The solution to pain shouldn’t be altering your mental state to make it imperceptible. It should be healing an injury and treating the patient.
Solving Pain Without Danger
Non-opioid pain medications are often available over the counter. Ibuprofen, aspirin, and acetaminophen can be purchased in bottles as large as 500 tablets for less than half the cost of a delivery pizza. They’re readily available, inexpensive, and work well for most people.
In some cases, doctors may recommend steroids be used to treat chronic pain or inflammation. Although steroids may be habit forming in the long term, reported abuse of corticosteroid drugs is very low. They don’t get patients “high” or significantly alter most of the important parts of the cognitive brain. They can safely be stopped under doctor supervision, and they almost never involve any kind of inpatient medical monitoring like the process necessary to safely withdraw from opioids.
These safer alternatives to opioid pain medications can be used as part of a comprehensive treatment program that involves massage therapy to give patients long lasting relief from pain, whether the source of the pain is chronic or temporary.
The Way Massage Plays An Important Role
Unlike painkillers, massage treats pain at the source. The process of massage is designed to facilitate healing of the muscles, bones, nerves, and lymphatic system. Massage can break up scar tissue that causes soreness around an old injury or healed surgical site. It can also expedite healing after surgery by encouraging the body to direct nutrient rich oxygenated blood to the massage site.
Massage works on every area of the body. Pain in the back, neck, or legs can easily be targeted and spot treated by a massage therapy. Nonspecific pain, such as pain caused by conditions like fibromyalgia, can be effectively addressed through full body massage.
While massage is stimulating the body, it’s also stimulating the mind. In response to massage, the brain releases a surplus of serotonin and dopamine, two feel-good hormones that act as natural mood boosters and pain relievers. Since these chemicals are made by your own body, they’re designed to work harmlessly to your benefit. Your body will relax, the pain you feel will be less intense, and the easing of this tension will make it easier for you to sleep well. Plenty of sleep is important for the body’s healing process.
Are You Ready To Try Massage Therapy?
Massage is an all-encompassing solution that does more to actively treat pain than opioid painkillers were ever designed to do. Your massage therapist will work with you to discover the source of your pain and create a comprehensive massage treatment plan and schedule to help you feel better both immediately and in the long term. We’d love to show you the benefits of massage. You can book an appointment with Greentoes in Tucson now online or by phone to experience everything massage has to offer.