Relieve Your Pain Without the Adverse Effects of Opioids
Did you know that pain relief is possible without the use of drugs?
As per the Canadian Physiotherapy Association (CPA), the use of prescription opioids has grown so much in Canada that it has now reached a crisis level. The federal minister of health has committed support to improve both prescribing practices and treatment options for people in pain. The CPA has put in a call to action for its physiotherapist membership to be informed and be proactive. Physiotherapy can make a real impact on the tragic levels of drug abuse in this country—abuse that often begins with a prescription for pain medication.
If you are in the Oakville, ON, or surrounding area, and you are ready to find pain relief without the harmful side effects of opioids, contact Leaps and Bounds: Performance Rehabilitation today.
Pain Management and Opioid Key Messages
One of CPA’s advocacy priorities is to make physiotherapy an alternative or complement to pharmaceuticals, as well as offer an opportunity to leverage media coverage and public attention to advance the concept that “physio can help”. The CPA calls for its members to network with other healthcare providers, reach out to chronic pain support groups in their area, and educate community leaders about the following key messages:
The increase in prescription opioid use is unmistakable.
Healthcare providers write one prescription for opioid pain medication for every two Canadians
The risk of misusing prescription opioids is real.
Every day, 13 Canadians are hospitalized due to opioid poisoning, and almost 25% of them are over 65 years of age. Many more are treated in emergency rooms for misuse or overdose of opioids.
The risk of addiction is real.
More than 10% of people who receive prescription opioids struggle with addiction.
Physiotherapy is a safe and effective alternative to opioids for long-term pain management.
In March 2016, the CDC released guidelines urging non-opioid approaches for the management of chronic pain. In 2017, the National Pain Centre in Canada released draft guidelines on the use of Opioids in Non-Cancer Pain- which state that non-opioid and non-pharmacological solutions should be optimized prior to starting a trial opioids for pain management.
There are some situations in which opioid therapy is appropriate.
CPA acknowledges that opioids may be appropriate for some situations including cancer treatment, palliative care, end-of-life care, and certain acute care situations. Always consult with your doctor and/or pharmacist prior to decreasing or discontinuing your medication.
Patients have a choice about the kind of treatment they receive.
Before accepting a prescription for opioids, patients should talk to their healthcare providers about related risks and safer alternatives.
Substitute physiotherapy for opioids
Physiotherapy can be implemented to treat all types of neuropathic and musculoskeletal pain, from osteoarthritis, traumatic injury, fibromyalgia, rheumatoid arthritis, headaches, and more. A physiotherapist utilizes a number of different pain management methods in the form of soft tissue and joint manual therapy, therapeutic modalities like acupuncture, exercises, and education.
Keep in mind that exercise will play a major role in helping you with your pain management. It may involve walking on a treadmill or specific exercises to strengthen the muscles. It will all depend on several things like what your starting point is (ex. you can walk 10min on a treadmill before your tolerance to that exercise decreases). Additionally, it will depend on what you have access to (ex. do you work out with limited equipment at home? Or do you have access to a full gym, pool, squash courts, etc). But know that however it is you start, and whatever it is you start doing, the idea will be to gradually expose you to more and more as you begin to adapt to that workload. The Canadian Guidelines call for 30min of moderate to vigorous activity 5 days per week and 2 days of strength training per week.
A recent study following 20,000 people over 11 years found that those who exercised on a regular basis experienced less pain. And among those who exercised more than 3 times per week, chronic widespread pain was 28% less common. Physiotherapists can prescribe exercise specific to your goals and needs.
What do the studies say?
Additional studies show that pain education is an essential part of physiotherapy intervention. A large study conducted with military personnel demonstrated that those with chronic back pain, who received a 45-minute educational session about pain, were much less likely to seek pharmaceutical treatment than their peers who didn’t receive education about pain. Physiotherapists can talk with you to make sure you
understand your pain history, and help set realistic expectations about your treatment.
Overall, physiotherapy is a much safer alternative to opioids. If you’re in pain, avoid opioids and, instead, opt for physiotherapy.
Are you ready to get started?
Your pain relief is possible with physiotherapy. Our team of experts is ready to support you and walk you through your recovery journey. If you’re in the Oakville, ON, or surrounding area, call us today at Leaps and Bounds: Performance Rehabilitation.