How do you deal with chronic pain when you don't want to take narcotics?

Question

I suffer from migraines, neck pain, anxiety and IBS. I work full time and am often in pain. I do not like to take prescription pain medicine as I feel it is just a crutch for me. Any suggestions?

Answer 1

Get a referral to an interventional pain management specialist. He may want to do injections, physical therapy, and non-narcotic pain meds (if they are appropriate)

Answer 2

I have Complex Regional Pain Syndrome which is a chronic pain syndrome and how I deal with my pain without taking narcotics are relaxation, working with a pain counselor, and a few other things. I think that keeping yourself as stress free as possible helps the pain. I have also joined a support group for people that have the same type of pain that I have, and everyone learns their own ways to cope with the pain. It's a hard thing to do, but working with a pain management doctor, and a pain counselor have helped me the most.

Answer 3

Checking with a chiropractor would not hurt they can also use ultrasound to help.

Much pain is from muscles below is an example of what may help (based on headaches).
Begin with a couple swigs of molasses or a couple of bananas daily - magnesium (which regulates many things in the body) and potassium (a needed building block for muscles).
Drink at least 1/2 gallons of water per day. Running a body low on water is like running a car low on oil is the analogy the head of neurology at UCDavis told my husband about 10 years ago.

Now to the cause - muscles - your back, neck shoulders and head have tender spots. They are knots in the fibers of the muscles called trigger points. It makes the muscles tight which makes them press on nerves and other things causing the pain.

The cure - start with a professional massage, you will also want to go back over any place you can get to 6-12 times per session up to 6 times per day rubbing (or lightly scratching on your head) every where that is tender until the knots go away. The place where the skull connects to the spine press up under the edge of the skull (to get to those muscles).

For more information read The Trigger Point Therapy Workbook by Davies. It teaches what to do and where the pain comes from.

Answer 4

Have you thought of alternative medicines like acupuncture or Reiki? Acupuncture is extremely beneficial for chronic pain and migraines. Reiki would definitely help with the anxiety you have and can also be very effective at pain relief. Make sure you find a licensed Acupuncturist - preferably one that has studied Chinese acupuncture and not an MD with some acupuncture study. There is a huge gap in the amount of educational training specific to acupuncture in those two groups. Some hospitals and medical clinics are now realizing the benefits of these types of alternative practices and are adding them to their own services.

Answer 5

Sometime narcotics are appropriate.
Talk to your doctor!
The whole "crutch" argument is a bunch of hooey.

Answer 6

Sounds to me like you are extremely tense or nervous... Maybe it is time to clear your schedule and make time for your SELF... In the meantime deep breathing is very helpful.. take long slow deep breaths in and exhale slowly (try closing your eyes).... If you are into movies or books I would check out "What the Bleep Do We Know" and/ or "The Secret" if you haven't already.. They truly are life altering!

Answer 7

Prayer! Relaxation and exercise. Perhaps, novacaine injections to block the nerves. Speak to your physician in regards to alternative solutions to narcotics.