If you suffer from chronic pain, it’s probably hard to imagine going through life without pain medications. Even if medications don’t completely remove your pain, they make it much more bearable. The problem is that some of the most effective pain medications are opioid-based and thus highly addictive.

If you’ve developed chronic pain and it’s led to dependency on opioids, it’s time to seek help. At the Ranch at Dove Tree in Lubbock, TX, we can help you break any dependence on or addiction to opioid medications and provide you with effective, alternative ways to manage your pain. 

Why Does Chronic Pain Develop?

Chronic pain is any type of pain that lingers for more than three months. It might remain constant, or it might come and go. Either way, chronic pain often limits your activities or makes it hard to sleep. It can also trigger mental health disorders like depression and anxiety.

Chronic pain occurs for several reasons. In some situations, it develops alongside other conditions, like arthritis, while in others, it stems from nerve damage. Back pain, headaches, muscle pain, and neck pain are some common forms of chronic pain. It can feel like aching, burning, throbbing, or shooting pain. You may have stiffness or a squeezing sensation.

Why Are Opioids Often Used as a Treatment for Chronic Pain?

Pain is a neurological experience – sensations from the injured area travel up to the brain. Opioids are highly effective because they can interact with the opioid receptors in the brain, virtually shutting off the pain recognition.

The problem is that opioids can also be addictive. Over time, they lead to tolerance, a situation in which the body gets used to them, requiring you to take more to get some sense of relief. As you take more, your health is at risk due to the potency and risks associated with this drug.

If Opioids Work, Why Stop Using Them?

It’s understandably difficult for people with chronic pain to give up opioid medications that seem to work so well. But opioids, including oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine, are highly addictive. They create pleasant sensations so powerful that the body and brain continue to demand access. As that happens, you develop a tolerance to the drug and need more or need to take it more often. This leads to a high risk of toxicity – and opioid overdose.

Dependency occurs when a person’s body requires the drug to function and goes through intense withdrawal symptoms when the drug begins to wear off. Dependence is physical; addiction is psychological and behavioral. You know you are becoming addicted to opioids when you depend on them not just physically but emotionally. Your thoughts are occupied with when you will get your next dose, and your use becomes compulsive. Your body may even manufacture pain in order to justify taking more of the drug. You might know that opioids are harming you, and you might want to stop but find that you are unable to. Opioid addiction is especially worrisome because of the risk of overdose.

In 2021 alone, 106,699 people died as a result of drug overdoses. Of them, 80,411 people were using opioids, according to data from the National Institute on Drug Abuse.

How Can an Opioid Pain Treatment Center Help?

As a drug treatment center in Texas, the Ranch at Dove Tree provides exceptional support and treatment for drug dependency, including opioids. Breaking your dependency on opioids does not mean you have to go back to experiencing intense pain and limitations. Instead, sobriety often results in a much-improved quality of life.

Medical detox

The first step to treatment of opioid addiction is to enter into a medical detox program. This program allows you to safely stop using opioids. We provide support to your body so that you are not faced with the intensity of withdrawal symptoms like you would be at home. In a medical detox program, you’re supported throughout the process with non-opioid pain medications and psychiatric interventions as needed. 

Managing your pain

There are numerous non-opioid alternatives to pain management. Our team will help you find the right combination of therapies to provide you with the relief you deserve. Available pain-relief strategies include: 

• Non-narcotic medications
• Massage therapy
• Nerve blocks and injectables
• Yoga
• Cognitive behavioral therapy

Within our treatment center, you’ll have access to a wide range of holistic strategies to improve your quality of life, from fitness centers to equine therapy. You’ll learn about your pain and your dependency so you can become confident in getting the support you need. Our goal is always to provide solutions that help resolve pain on all levels: physical, emotional, and mental. 

Let The Ranch at Dove Tree Help You

At The Ranch at Dove Tree, our opioid treatment programs are designed to support your recovery and pain management needs. You do not have to continue to live with pain or addiction. Contact us now to learn more about the various treatment strategies we offer.