Back Pain and Painkillers

Approx. million Americans suffer from back pain every year. Continuous pain can disturb your daily routine.

Most of the people (suffering from mild pain) prefer to take over-the-counter painkillers or treat it with home remedies such as using a hot water bottle or ice pack bag on the affected area. If you have more severe pain, you should consult your doctor immediately. Your doctor may prescribe an opioid pain reliever like oxycodone (OxyContin), morphine, hydrocodone (Hysingla ER), or codeine.

“Approx. 1 in 5 people who see a doctor for chronic pain get an opioid prescription.”

Side Effects Of Painkillers

These drugs offer temporary relief and are quite strong. Taking opioids for a long time can lead to potential side effects. Here are some of the problems that you might face with long-term use of opioids.

• Tolerance – It is a stage when your body gets so used to the drug and you need to take more dose of that medicine to get relief from pain.  
• Physical dependence - It is a constant need by your body for the drug, even if you don’t have any pain. Stopping the drug leads to withdrawal symptoms like chills, trouble sleeping, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
• Acetaminophen overdose: Taking too much of an opioid with acetaminophen can damage your liver and lead to organ failure.
• Addiction – Addiction is craving for the drug and not able to stop yourself from taking it. Some people get so addicted that they start trying different-different ways to get opioids such as seeing multiple doctors and lying to doctor about their pain to get painkillers.

Taking too much of these drugs could be deadly. Approx. 90 Americans die due to opioid overdose every day.

How To Avoid Addiction

One of the best ways to avoid drug addiction is to try non-medication pain relief methods. The pain relief methods include yoga, tai chi, exercise, mind-body techniques, heat and ice, and more. You can also prefer taking non-opioid painkillers such as NSAIDs (Motrin, Advil). If you're still in pain, it's better to consult with your doctor. Your doctor can help you get the best relief and avoid complications. Your healthcare provider may prescribe a low dose of painkillers to you. Just make sure that you follow your doctor’s prescription. These painkillers are quite expensive so don’t forget to use free prescription cards to buy painkillers.