subject: Why Medication Is Not A Good Long Term Solution When Treating Chronic Pain [print this page] Medication, including pain relievers, play many important roles in our daily lives. On a short-term basis, they help alleviate pain while the body goes through a natural process of self-healing. As well, they play a crucial part in ensuring the stable and normal functioning of bodily functions and systems. They even help individuals who suffer from certain neurological disorders, such as epilepsy, to lead normal lives.
Yet as a long-term solution to chronic pain, both medication and pain relievers do not offer the best option for a variety of reasons.
Potential for Addiction
Over 6 million Americans are abusing prescription drugs today and of these an estimated 4.4 million use pain relievers. Of these, many are addicted or are at risk of becoming addicted.
Addiction to pain relievers is much like being addicted to heroine in that the withdrawal symptoms are very similar. These include bone and muscle pain, diarrhea, vomiting, cold flashes and insomnia.
Tolerance
As the body is quick to develop a tolerance to both medication and pain relievers, higher doses become necessary for maintaining the desired effects.
Side effects
Although side effects disappear with the absence of taking medication and pain relievers, long-term use can lead to a number of uncomfortable or inconvenient consequences such as constipation, moodiness and menstrual irregularities.
Band-aid solution
The most important reason that long-term use of medication or pain relievers is not the ideal solution to treating chronic pain is that they dont actually offer a cure since they dont affect the root or cause of the pain. So while pain relievers may offer some respite, when it comes to chronic pain its important to look at other options for relief ones that target the cause of the pain and offer long-term relief instead of a band-aid solution.
