San Leandro Alternatives to Manage Chronic Pain
Opiates and narcotic pain relievers have been used for decades to manage chronic pain. Unfortunately, this practice has also resulted in thousands of opioid-related deaths and millions of addictions. In the last decade, there has been a push to move away from opiate treatment to manage chronic pain. In San Leandro, alternatives to manage chronic pain are available at Allied Pain & Spine Institute.
Opioids have their place in pain management. For acute injury or pain conditions such as fractures or surgery recovery, opiates may be recommended to control short-term pain. However, chronic pain conditions are poorly managed by opioids due to their addictive nature and debilitating side effects. Chronic pain management options have improved to provide safer, effective treatments that are not addictive or mind-altering.
Non-Opiate Chronic Pain Treatments
The dangers of long-term opioid use have been well-documented. For those facing months or years of living with pain, there are alternatives to opioids for chronic pain management. At Allied Pain & Spine Institute, we offer a wide assortment of treatment modalities that can be combined to create effective chronic pain management. Some of the alternatives we offer to opioids to manage pain include:
- Injection therapy – Many chronic pain conditions can be managed with steroids, Botox®, biologics and other injections. These often can provide relief for a few months between treatments for issues like neck, back and joint pain, as well as migraines.
- Electrotherapy – There are many options in electrotherapy that can be used to interrupt pain signals to the brain, including TENS, PENS and spinal cord stimulation (SCS).
- Psychotherapy – Many patients benefit from psychotherapy to manage their chronic pain and how they react to the condition. Mindfulness, acceptance and commitment therapy and other types of psychotherapy can be combined with other chronic pain treatments.
- Physiotherapy – Exercise, stretching, strengthening and massage can all be beneficial in managing chronic pain. Most chronic pain treatment plans should include some form of physiotherapy.
Chronic pain can be effectively managed without opiates when you utilize the right combination of treatment modalities. At Allied Pain & Spine Institute, we know that every patient is unique and will need a personalized chronic pain management program. If you are interested in avoiding opiates for chronic pain management, come see us at our medical center in San Leandro. We can discuss the many alternatives to manage chronic pain conditions.
