Anyone suffering from chronic pain knows that opiates are one of the solutions that medics prescribe. However, with the risks that come with this form of treatment, such as the risk of addiction, it is best to go for opiate alternatives. There is a wide variety of opiate alternatives out there, ranging from exercise, acupuncture, to chiropractic care. But how do you know which one to go for out of all these alternatives? To choose the best, here are 4 things to look for when choosing an alternative to opiates.
- The cost of the alternative
When looking for a viable alternative to opiates, research on the costs. Like all other forms of treatment, opiate alternatives are priced differently. What to go for should be determined by your budget, and how quickly you would like to get rid of the pain due to its intensity. For instance, exercise is a cost-effective alternative to opiates when it comes to pain treatment. However, exercise results take time, and may not be ideal if your pain is severe. If your pain is manageable, and you are on a tight budget, then go for exercise as an opiates alternative. On the other hand, if you have the money, and your pain is severe, then other alternatives like chiropractic care may be more ideal.
- The intensity of the pain
Sometimes pain can be so intense that it hinders you from going about your everyday duties, including walking. In such a case, you might consider an opiates alternative that is more advanced, and fully deals with the root cause of the problem medically. For instance, a misaligned joint can be painful to the extent that it is crippling. Such pain would be best-taken care off through medical methods like chiropractic care. Chiropractic care entails professionally pushing the joints back to their correct sockets. However, if the pain is not intense to the point that you can’t move, then other less medically involving alternatives like exercise can work.
- The cause of the pain
The reason for the pain should also be a reason to consider when looking into opiate alternatives. For instance, back pain can be the result of stress, which leads to a sedentary lifestyle, and may ultimately lead to depression. In such a situation, the best alternative to opiates would be one that deals with the cause of the stress. In such a case, an alternative like cognitive-behavioral therapy would be most ideal. That’s because it addresses stress, which in turn helps you get more active and eliminate your back pain.
- The statistical rate of success of the chosen alternative
Before you choose an alternative to opiates, research on its effectiveness. Don’t just fall for what people say about it online. Work with statistical data. The higher the incidence of success, the better it is as an alternative to opiates. For instance, a quick look at the success rate of acupuncture shows that it relieves pain by up to 50%. This is a high success rate and makes it a perfect way to deal with pain, when compared to opiates, which come with a risk of addiction.
