Chronic pain is debilitating, making it difficult to think about anything else. Opioids are usually the go-to for treating chronic pain, but for someone who’s completed opiate detox, they aren’t an option. Fortunately, there are alternatives for pain management for people who are in recovery or just want an effective, non-addictive alternative.

Acupuncture

Acupuncture is a type of traditional Chinese medicine in which sterile needles are inserted into acupressure points located in 12 meridians, or channels, in the body. Per Chinese medicine, vital energy, or chi, flows through these 12 channels, connecting specific organs and networks of organs. Inflammation and illness block the flow of energy through these channels, and acupuncture seeks to open up the flow of energy and relieve pain.

Case-controlled clinical studies have found that acupuncture is effective in treating a range of diseases, conditions and symptoms, such as:

• Depression.
• Facial pain.
• Headaches.
• Hypertension.
• Knee pain.
• Low back pain.
• Neck pain.
• Postoperative pain.
• Rheumatoid arthritis.
• Sciatica.
• Sprain.
• Tennis elbow.

Chiropractic Treatment

Chiropractic care uses physical manipulations to align the body, relieve pain and promote healing without medication or surgery. Evidence supports chiropractic as an effective method of alleviating low back pain or disability, although it can be used throughout the body to relieve pain in the joints, bones, muscles and connective tissues, such as ligaments, tendons and cartilage.

Yoga

Chronic pain alters brain structure, causing changes that are linked to depression, anxiety and impaired cognitive function. Studies have found that chronic pain affects the volume of gray matter and the quality of white matter connectivity in the brain, which controls how the brain processes information. Gray and white matter decrease with age, but yoga has shown to stall the decrease by reducing the perception of pain, increasing gray matter and improving white matter connectivity.

Massage Therapy

Existing research suggests that massage therapy may be a useful method of pain relief for several chronic pain conditions, especially musculoskeletal pain like low back pain. Since it’s not considered the first line of defense, it’s typically combined with more conventional approaches, such as physical therapy. Massage increases levels of serotonin, which are the anti-pain chemicals produced naturally by the body. It also improves quality of sleep, making it more restorative.

Biofeedback

This unique form of therapy seeks to improve awareness of pain and alter physiological responses to reduce symptoms. A therapist places sensors throughout a patient’s body and monitors their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, muscle tension, skin temperature and brain waves on a computer. Then the therapist guides them through relaxation exercises that help them control the things that cause pain. Clinical studies have found that biofeedback effectively provides relief for conditions like tension headaches, migraines, arthritis and temporomandibular joint pain (TMJ disorder).

Chronic pain doesn’t go away after detox or during recovery. If it’s something you or someone you care about struggles with, there are non-addictive options that don’t require you to take a pill. Boca Detox Center has helped hundreds of people get relief from chronic pain and experience recovery. For more information about our holistic approach and detox services, contact us at (888) 693-1172.