Natural Alternatives to Opioids

Excessive opioid use has been all over the news lately as addiction to prescription drugs climbs to an all-time high. Sadly, the consequences of this epidemic are affecting both the American family and high-profile celebrities alike. If more people knew about natural alternatives to opioids, we could prevent mishaps and deaths like the ones below.

Celebrity Opioid Use

Tiger Woods: On May 29th, Tiger Wood’s reaction to a mix of prescription medication was so severe that he was taken into custody and charged with driving under the influence. He was arrested in Florida. However, he reportedly told police he thought he was in Los Angeles at the time. He announced that he is now seeking professional help to better manage his prescription drug use.
Prince: On June 2nd, it was officially announced that Prince died from an accidental overdose of fentanyl: a synthetic opioid more dangerous than heroin. While fentanyl is often illegally made and distributed despite being occasionally prescribed.
Anthony McPartlin: On June 18th, English television presenter, Anthony “Ant” McPartlin, checked into rehab for two months to overcome his addiction to prescription drugs. He supposedly became addicted to the prescription medication Tramadol after he started mixing it with alcohol to numb the pain of a knee injury.
Carrie Fisher: It was announced that Star Wars mogul, Carrie Fisher, had a combination of cocaine, morphine, codeine and oxycodone in her system when she suffered from the heart attack that ultimately caused her death.

Opioid Use Leads to Heroin Abuse

It’s no secret that prescription drug abuse has become a huge problem. Not only have the lives of multiple celebrities been affected, but Americans all over the country have been fighting addiction and overdose. Moreover, the Drug Enforcement Administration announced that over 700 people died from fentanyl overdose alone between 2013 and 2015. Meanwhile, the National Institutes of Health has openly admitted that using prescription painkillers can often lead to heroin addiction down the road.

Interestingly enough, Virginia state officials reported that less pharmacies are filling prescriptions for opioids in 2020. While this sounds encouraging, unfortunately deaths due to heroin and fentanyl overdose have been increasing steadily. Statistics like this suggest that more and more people may be self-medicating with illegal drugs.

Fortunately, there are safe and effective alternatives to opioids and prescription drugs. For example, acupuncture helps innervate the muscles. In doing so, acupuncture helps reduce pain and address the root cause of the discomfort at the same time. On January 12th, 2017, a study was even published in the American Journal of Emergency Medicine that concluded acupuncture can be more effective in treating pain than intravenous morphine.

Naturopathic counseling is another great alternative to conventional pain management. Balancing your body chemistry reduces pain by supporting the body’s natural anti-inflammatory processes. In addition, there are a plethora of natural alternatives to opioids. For example, the University of Maryland Medical Center reported that Curcumin, the antioxidant found in Turmeric, helps reduce pain caused by conditions such as osteoarthritis. Additionally, there are many other popular herbs and supplements that can be used to reduce chronic pain. These include CBD oil and capsules, Omega-3 Fatty Acids, Bosweillia and more.