What is Wrong with Opioids? - a podcast by Discussions with successful health experts such as Ben Greenfield, Terry Wa

Opioids have been around for years after pharmaceutical companies pushed them out to doctors as effective painkillers. This term “opioids” includes compounds extracted naturally from the poppy seed as well as synthetic compounds with similar properties that interact with the opioid receptors in the brain.

Some popular medications classified as opioids include:

• Oxycodone
• Hydrocodone (Vicodin)
• Codeine
• Morphine (Kadian, Avinza)

Hydrocodone products are the most commonly prescribed opioids as they are often used to treat pains from injuries and dental work. Codeine is often used to treat milder pain. But generally, opioids are used to treat everything from post-surgical pain to osteoarthritis.

However, prolonged use, non-medical use, use without supervision, and misuse, can lead to several health problems and opioid dependence.

Research has shown that about 0.5 million deaths all over the world are attributed to drug use. Shockingly, over 70% of these deaths are related to opioids, with over 30% of those deaths caused by overdose.

The truth is that what makes opioid medications effective for pain management can also make them dangerous.

What are the side effects of taking opioids?

The use of opioids has been found to cause some side effects. These drugs can lower your heart rate and blood pressure, and they can also cause slow breathing. Some opioids can also affect your ability to drive.

The common side effects of taking opioids include:

• Nausea
• Drowsiness
• Constipation
• Vomiting
• Thought and memory problems

Dependence and Tolerance

Apart from the side effects listed above, taking opioids can cause you to develop dependence problems. You tend to have withdrawal symptoms if you stop using them. These symptoms include insomnia, muscle and bone pain, vomiting, restlessness, and chills with goosebumps.

Dependence is often associated with tolerance, which is the need to take more of a drug in higher doses to get the same effect. Research has already estimated that about 36 million people worldwide abuse the use of opioids.

However, higher doses often cause more dangerous side effects.  And as patients become more and more dependent on the use of opioids, the number of deaths from deaths increases.

Although States are putting up measures to regulate how doctors prescribe opiates, addicted patients still look for ways to obtain these drugs. Many find ways to get the drug illegally, and some others go to different doctors to get additional prescriptions.

Dependence on opioids is a heartbreaking problem; the good news, however, is that it is completely preventable.

You can are natural holistic measures such as chiropractic care that focuses on effective pain management in a safe and drug-free approach. Chiropractic adjustments in combination with diet and exercise have been shown to be a better alternative for getting relief from pain caused by surgery, injury, arthritis, and many other conditions.

You can consult Dr. Jason Jones at our Chiropractic office in Elizabeth City, NC, to get the best chiropractic care to manage any form of pain. Remember, you don’t have to suffer from the side effects of opioids and get dependent on the drugs. Chiropractic is a safe method you can try today.

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