Not every operation requires opioids, and not all pain responds best to opioid pain medication. Talk to your doctor about non-narcotic alternative medications, like acetaminophen (Tylenol) and ibuprofen (Advil or Motrin). And there are non-medical alternatives, like hot or cold packs, distraction, meditation, and just plain taking it easy.
Check back to Safer Opioids as we explore the data behind these different approaches, but in the meantime, be sure to talk with your healthcare team about alternative approaches to pain management.
And for kids, check out this short video we made about why to avoid certain opioids and how to use non-opioid alternatives.
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