For those that deal with chronic pain, doctors often prescribe antidepressants to help relieve symptoms. This might not make sense at first, but pain isn’t always the result of a physical issue. Sometimes, pain can be the result of a mental or emotional disorder, such as depression. What doctors have found is that antidepressants can often be helpful in combating this type of pain. It can even be more effective than painkillers, specifically opioids. Antidepressants target the root of the issue and not just the symptoms–which is the approach that opioids take.
However, doctors are finding that not all types of chronic pain are equally impacted by the use of antidepressants. This is especially true for those that suffer from osteoarthritis and back pain. A study from the University of Sydney shows that these medications are not effective when it comes to osteoarthritis and back pain.
Other treatments aren’t always safe. Unfortunately, these are two very common maladies, and one of the more common treatments that you will come across for these is opioids. While opioids do have a place in the medical community, the common consensus is that they have been prescribed far too frequently. While they can be effective at helping to manage pain, they also can create other health issues, which can be even more severe. Many become addicted to these drugs, and many have lost their lives because of misuse of these drugs.
If someone suffers from osteoarthritis or chronic back pain, what is the best course of action?
First, be sure to speak with a doctor. The goal of this study wasn’t to disrupt medical care and pain alleviation. Instead, the goal was to help ensure that those that suffer from pain are receiving better advice and care. By pinpointing better treatments for these conditions, doctors should be able to help their patients live with less pain. This is a big thing, especially for someone that has suffered for years from chronic pain.
Second, think about finding some sort of relaxation or meditation routine. While it might not seem like it, both of these things have been shown to have a positive impact on relieving pain and improving quality of life. If you’re not already doing something like this, it might be worth looking into. You can start with a few YouTube videos to help you find something that you enjoy and go from there.
Additionally, research is showing that mild exercises, such as what you might do in physical therapy, can also help with these types of chronic pain. It’s important to speak with a doctor before you begin any sort of new exercise routine so that you don’t accidentally create other problems, but there’s a type of exercise out there for just about everyone. Exercise should be fun, so don’t forget to take that into account.
Even if someone suffers from chronic pain, there’s a good chance that there is something that can be done to help them live a better life. If you’re not sure where to start, a conversation with a doctor can help you get started in the right direction.
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