Everyone over the age of five can relate to the misery and debilitating effects of back pain, because it's happened to them. A back strain or injury is not a possibility, it's a certainty for everyone who continues to age and move about on this earth. Despite being one of humanity's oldest ailments, back pain remains a mysterious and frustrating foe, because pain itself has never been fully understood. People often say it's a warning sign, but it exists when no cause can be found by modern diagnosis. It exists long after the underlying medical problem has been solved, and sometimes it returns for no reason. There is no machine for measuring pain. The spine and supporting muscles, ligaments, and tendons are a complex system with lots of vulnerabilities, but in the end it's the mind that delivers the grief.

Therefore, opiate analgesics that alter the mind, such as OxyContin, Vicodin, Demerol, and Percocet, work very well, until the patient discovers the nasty trade-offs. Dependency, dangerous interaction with alcohol and other drugs, side effects, withdrawal symptoms, and drug detox are all possible outcomes with prolonged use of opiates, a class that includes heroin and morphine. Fortunately, enlightened doctors are using new and sometimes very old tactics to fight back pain that don't risk addiction.

Painkillers Don't Fix Anything

For temporary use, such as recovering from surgery, heavy-duty painkillers are invaluable. But that is their only intended purpose. If pain is a warning sign, then taking painkillers is just like throwing your smoke detector away and hoping the house doesn't catch on fire. Chronic pain requires a totally different approach than masking the symptoms while creating other problems. Most studies show disturbing undertreatment of pain in this country, which means that people are suffering needlessly. For various sensible reasons, such as liver damage, they want to avoid over-the-counter painkillers as well as prescription drugs. But they don't know where else to turn. Alternative treatments for pain control are needed more than ever.

Find the Source of the Pain

In one hospital study, 80% of patients who complained of back pain had X-rays that showed clear evidence of spinal disc degeneration. They had a legitimate reason for pain. But the study also showed that 70% of patients with this same condition exhibited no pain. Not everyone's mind connects the dots in the same way, which is why just writing the same cookie-cutter prescription for everyone with back pain is so misguided. Some physicians believe that chronic pain is an independent malady that can exist by itself. Other doctors worry that pain with no clear source is a ruse to get a prescription for OxyContin. If traditional diagnoses have failed to find the problem, the patient might want to find a specialist in pain management, or at least a doctor open to new insights. A local drug treatment center might also have experience in these issues.

Non-opiate Alternatives

Over-the-counter pills don't mean that the patient should self-medicate and never consult a doctor about his meds. Under proper medical supervision, non-opiate COX-1 painkillers, such as naproxen (Aleve) and aspirin, may go a long way in alleviating back pain and inflammation. They work especially well with alternative therapies, such as a vitamin regiment that includes glucosamine and chondroitin for healthy joint tissue. For osteoarthritis pain, glucosamine sulphate and the herb boswellia are often very effective. Getting regular blood tests for healthy liver function is important when taking any painkiller long-term. Chiropractic alternatives should be explored, along with physical therapy. Real freedom from pain and addictive drugs usually means lifestyle changes and finding new ways to cope.

Holistic Alternatives

One ancient treatment for back pain is deep tissue massage, performed in a clinical environment, not at the vacation spa. Massage and chiropractic medicine often complement each other. Acupressure and acupuncture are old school remedies that still work for millions of people worldwide, and there are practitioners in most cities. Many people have discovered effective pain relief in yoga and other forms of meditation, not to mention the comfort of spiritual pursuits.

Hypnotherapy is a young discipline by comparison, but it works where only the OxyContin and Vicodin class of drugs went before – straight to the mind. Good nutrition and physical fitness sound like logical steps to a healthy body, but how many people have actually tried them long-term? Don't forget music and the arts, because creativity has the power to alter moods better than any drug. There is no need to go it alone, as coaches and professionals serve to help at every level of these disciplines.

Perhaps only a top-notch drug rehab center would feature all of these alternatives in one setting, but the concerned patient shouldn't overlook that resource. A person doesn't have to be an addict to consult experts in addiction, especially where opiate use is concerned. Coming to grips with pain is the goal, not ending it forever, because the body should always have the option of sending that warning signal. There's nothing pleasant about the bleating of a smoke alarm either.