Pain Medication
The fear of addiction and its consequences frightens many sufferers of chronic back pain away from using medication. It is only one class of analgesics or painkillers that holds the potential danger of addiction: the opioids, or drugs containing opium.
The opioids include oxycodone (OxyContin), hydrocodone (Vicodin), hydromorphone, and meperidine (Demerol). The illegal drug, heroin, is also in the opioid category. Their patented names have become familiar to most of us through movies, TV shows and the media.
I personally have seen the devastating effects of opioid addiction in my small community. Many young lives were taken due to heroin overdoses. Frequently, people start using prescribed opioids for pain relief. Unfortunately, their bodies became addicted and when the prescribed pills ran out, they turned to heroin. Opioids are helpful in that they are very efficient at decreasing the brain’s perception of pain. The problem is that they create a feeling of euphoria, which is why these medications pose a high risk of addition.
The most powerful opiate analgesics are also the most likely to cause abuse and addiction. Unfortunately, science has not come up with a way of separating the powerful analgesic benefits of these drugs from the potential for addiction. Due to the national opioid crisis, I am happy to say that physicians are finally becoming more reluctant prescribing opioids for long term use. Opioid addiction is at epidemic levels in the United States, and opioids are some of the most controlled and regulated drugs by governing authorities.
There are alternatives to medication that can be part of an overall integrated treatment that may include but is not limited to drugs.
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Acupuncture
Acupuncture is considered an alternative therapy for back pain. Acupuncture, which has been practiced in the east for centuries, involves inserting very fine needles into your skin at specific points on your body to help relieve pain. It is believed to be particularly useful for soothing muscle spasms in your back. The relief can last for up to a few weeks after a round of treatments.
Acupuncture is a popular form of traditional Chinese medicine and the method dates back thousands of years. It involves fine needles, heat, as well as pressure. The idea is that by stimulating these specific points it will release qi, the body’s natural energy, and thus purge imbalances and blockages which may be causing chronic pain and illness. Acupuncture is believed to relieve pain because it affects the immune system’s hormone levels and neurotransmitters.
Acupuncture can be an effective course of treatment for chronic pain patients It’s particularly helpful for people with neck pain, back pain, and even headaches.
Patients who visit an acupuncturist tend to do so fairly regularly. This treatment is gentle and non-invasive, yes, it involves needles, but they are incredibly thin so they are not painful. There are no negative side effects to the practice, but you may find yourself feeling less stressed, you will enjoy better sleep, improved digestion, and you may just find yourself feeling more focused. There are some downsides, though, for some patients, it can result in increased pain, some bruising, and even muscle twitching. These are incredibly rare issues and don’t tend to last for very long.
Chronic Pain & Acupuncture
Chronic pain can have a severe effect on your life, and there are a variety of typical treatments. You generally turn to ice, heat, physical therapy, exercise, painkillers, and anti-inflammatory medicines. Sadly, that isn’t sufficient for many people – and this is when acupuncture can come into play.
If your pain is new and you haven’t first visited a doctor, you should make an appointment. It’s important that you first attempt to reach a diagnosis about what is going on with your body. You should have serious conditions ruled out before seeking an alternative treatment.
Check if your insurance will cover the cost of acupuncture. You may find that your plan does if you can find a physician-acupuncturist. You will most likely need to visit on a weekly basis initially. Once you are seeing the benefits, though, you can lengthen the time between your visits.
Find a Good Acupuncturist
When you are looking for a practitioner, you will want to find someone who is licensed and certified. The requirements vary across the states, with some more strict than others. The majority of states, though, require an NCCAOM certification at the very least. So, look for this as a minimum – and a certification like CCAOM is icing on the cake.
You should feel comfortable with the person – this will make the world of difference to your experience and to your healing.
Meditation Can Help You Cope With Pain
Millions of people suffer from chronic pain. One of the worst things you can tell someone suffering from pain is that it is all in their mind. However, studies suggest that the answer to pain relief from pain really is all in the mind.
At least a thousand studies into the benefits of meditation, once thought to be a New-Age or fringe practice, have been conducted since its introduction to the West about fifty years ago and about 90% percent of those have indicated that many benefits, including pain relief, can be derived from meditation. Do a google search and you will see there are over ten million searches specifically for “Does meditation help with chronic pain”.
Meditation changes how the brain responds to that pain.
Meditation is like brain training, something that can be done by anyone, anywhere and anytime. In addition, regularly engaging in meditation can help with chronic pain management. It comes down to focusing your attention on one thing: your breathing, or a word or phrase that comforts or inspires you.
The ultimate goal is to train your brain to be more focused, to relax, and keep in touch with your emotions. Mindfulness meditation can also be taught but self-instruction is common.
Mindfulness meditation is not about chasing a buzz, but about training your brain to attend to the present. Practice mindfulness meditation for five minutes at first, gradually working up to 20 minutes a day. Watch my video below on how to practice mindfulness:
Back Pain Relief 4 Life
Another option to try is the Back Pain Relief 4 Life Core Videos. You can purchase this product either in digital or physical form. Included with this product are coaching sessions. It can relieve back pain in minutes and is comprised of eight two minute movements. These eight movements address specific muscle imbalances. Using this product can increase blood flow, oxygen and nutrients to your spinal area. Our bodies are designed to heal themselves. Prescription medications are just a band aid interacting at the neurological level to interfere with our brain’s perception of the pain. Prescription medications do nothing to cure the source of our pain. Back Pain Relief 4 Life has phenomenal testimonials and comes with a 60 day money back guarantee. Check out the Back Pain Relief 4 Life program below.
http://alongy.mbpc84.hop.clickbank.net
People are well aware of the dangers of opioid drugs, but there is some hope that non-pharmacological remedies for back pain are available and they do work.