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Pain Treatment vs. Addiction

With so much focus on prescription pain pill addictions, it’s no wonder that people – even some physicians – are unsure about how best to treat and manage chronic pain. But while many effective pain medications can be addictive, most patients never become addicted. Following your doctor’s instructions for taking pain medications can bring relief without fear of becoming dependent.

If you take a medication for a long period of time, you can develop a tolerance to the drug, and you might need an increased dosage to bring the same level of relief. This is normal – it does not mean that you are addicted, or even physically dependent on the drug. It just means that your body is adapting to a certain dose of medication. Typically, it also means that side effects of the drug are diminishing.

Patients with chronic pain should talk with their health care provider about the level of pain management they need for a good quality of life. Even if it’s not possible to eliminate all pain, providing enough relief to allow daily activities to continue is a reasonable goal.

People who have a history of drug dependence or who are concerned about how much medication it takes to manage pain should work closely with their physicians to fine-tune the treatment. Following prescribed doses exactly and knowing the signs of drug dependence will help eliminate the possibility of becoming addicted to medications that can otherwise provide great relief.

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