Chronic Pain Management and Opiate Abuse: When to Consider Rehab Treatment
Opiates remain the standard of care for treating most any type of pain symptom, particularly in cases of chronic pain. With the range of opiate drugs on the market, a person may be exposed to any number of drug types depending on one’s pain symptoms respond to treatment.
Over time, the therapeutic effects of opiates tend to wane, at which point a person requires larger doses or a new type of drug altogether. These developments warrant cause for concern as opiates carry a high potential for abuse and addiction, especially when used on a long-term basis. For these reasons, understanding how opiates work can help you get needed rehab treatment in the event of a developing drug problem.
Chronic Pain
Acute injuries, chronic medical conditions, such as cancer and chronic ailments such as back pain may all require some form of pain treatment over extended time periods. In general, pain symptoms lasting for three months or longer are considered chronic in nature.
According to the U. S. National Library of Medicine, chronic pain can take two forms: nociceptive and neuropathic. Nociceptive pain results from actual tissue damage that stimulates pain receptors. Neuropathic pain develops out of damage to the body’s central nervous system functions. The type of pain at issue for the most part determines what type of opiate drug will work best.
How Do Opiates Work?
Long-term opiate use can actually make pain symptoms worse.
Opiates work by blocking incoming pain signals from reaching the brain. Drugs commonly used to treat chronic pain symptoms include:
OxyContin
Lorset
Vicodin
Percocet
Fentanyl
Dilaudid
In effect, opiates stimulate neurotransmitter production in the brain, most notably dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. These neurotransmitters act as the body’s own “feel good” chemicals with the brain’s cells secreting chemical supplies on an as-needed basis. With long-term opiate use, these interactions warp the brain’s chemical processes, which can lead to serious health complications over time.
When to Consider Rehab Treatment
The Opiate Abuse Cycle
With continued opiate use, the brain becomes less responsive to the drug’s effects. When this happens, a person will have to increase the dosage amount and/or dosage frequency in order to experience the pain-relieving effects of the drug. Over time, a vicious cycle takes shape as brain tolerance levels continue to rise in accordance with increased dosage amounts. The longer this cycle continues, the more damage done to the brain’s chemical system.
Increasing Pain Symptoms
After so many months or years of opiate use, the body’s central nervous system starts to undergo considerable damage. At this point, opiate effects can actually make pain symptoms worse. While your physician may opt to put you on a different type of pain medication, it’s not uncommon for a person to have developed an opiate addiction problem once this degree of damage is present.
According to the Journal of Addiction Science & Clinical Practice, an estimated 20 to 24 percent of chronic pain sufferers engage in opiate abuse practices, whether knowingly or unknowingly. Considering how opiate abuse only works to worsen chronic pain symptoms, getting needed rehab treatment is essential to restoring a person’s overall health and well-being.
If you suspect you or someone you know struggles with chronic pain and opiate abuse, please don’t hesitate to call our toll-free helpline at 888-646-0635Who Answers? for more information. Our phone counselors can also help you locate rehab treatment programs in your area.
Walton, New York alcohol treatment center, The New Direction, provides an intensive inpatient alcohol treatment program that helps addicts recover from alcoholism and regain control of their lives. The New Direction has been providing patients with intensive inpatient alcohol treatment in Walton, New York since 1977. Founded on the philosophy that recovering addicts who are….
For someone battling an alcohol abuse problem, the decision to enter alcohol rehab doesn’t come easily. Alcohol’s effects on the brain warp a person’s logic and reasoning abilities, so troubling circumstances or the negative consequences from drinking have likely brought about a change of heart in a big way. With the holidays well under way,….
Although according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, anxiety may lead to drug addiction, it does not ALWAYS lead to addiction. There is a correlation between anxiety disorders and substance use but anxiety does not always result in substance abuse. Anxiety Medications Most medications given for anxiety even in childhood are benzodiazepines. These….
Many warn against the idea of beginning a romantic relationship while in rehab, as it can make it much harder for you to focus on your recovery and more likely for either individual to relapse. However, making friends during rehab can be extremely beneficial and is, in most instances, recommended for those recovering from drug….
Anyone who has ever been the victim of or who has even been around someone who is the victim of drug addiction has heard the term “rock bottom.” It’s a phrase that has long been used to describe the place in which an addict must make it to before they begin to turn their life….
Besides alcohol, marijuana exists as the most commonly abused drug among all age groups. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, over 29 million people reported using marijuana as of 2009. While legal restrictions surrounding marijuana use may be loosening, this drug does still carry addictive properties. Anyone considering entering marijuana rehab has likely….
Outpatient opiate rehab centers exist as one of many levels of care within the addiction recovery process. Whether or not outpatient opiate addiction treatment will work for you depends on a range of factors, including the severity of your addiction, your existing support system and how motivated you are to get well. Addressing Effects of….
If you have decided to change your life and seek out treatment for a drug or alcohol addiction, congratulations. You have begun the important process of becoming sober and that is a big deal. Sometimes, starting is the hardest part and that’s because you know so little when you get started. The first things you….
A quality treatment facility will be best equipped to deal with the transition from treatment to recovery. But, that doesn’t mean that recovery tips only come from rehab centers, counselors, and addicts. They can actually be found in a number of unlikely places. Animal Kingdom: Accept That Addiction Is Part of Your Make-Up The New….
There is mixed evidence as to whether drug addiction is actually predisposed by the genes or not but one thing that is known for sure is that addictive behavior is predisposed. What this means is that although actually being addicted to drugs may not be genetic there are genetic factors that play a role in….
Calls to numbers on a specific treatment center listing will be routed to that treatment center. Calls to any general helpline will be answered or returned by one of the treatment providers listed, each of which is a paid advertiser that includes Right Path Rehab.
By calling the helpline you agree to the terms of use. We do not receive any commission or fee that is dependent upon which treatment provider a caller chooses. There is no obligation to enter treatment.
