Opioids are a highly addictive class of drugs used to manage pain. In recent years, it’s become clear that it’s best to use these drugs, including fentanyl, hydrocodone, methadone and others, only when absolutely necessary. Each year, more than 2 million Americans misuse prescription opioids, and of those patients, about 4 to 6 percent transition to heroin, an illegal drug that’s also part of the opioid class. There were 46,802 opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. in 2018, the most recent year for which statistics are available.
Opioid addiction can happen to anyone, often beginning as a prescription pain medication taken after surgery. The Oral Surgeons at the Center for Oral Surgery & Dental Implants in Grand Rapids, Michigan, have implemented a post-surgical protocol that emphasizes using non-opioid solutions to control pain. Following this protocol, most patients don’t need opioids, or need them for only a day or two after surgery. Our Oral Surgeons decide which opioid-free pain management options are best for each patient, based on factors such as type of surgery, medical history, general health and age.
It’s important to “stay ahead” of any expected pain from a procedure because once someone is experiencing pain, it can be harder to take away that feeling. Our Oral Surgeons administer non-opioid pain medications to patients before, during and after surgery. For example, Exparel is a long-acting numbing medicine that starts working during surgery so that when patients wake up, they don’t feel pain. Sockit! Gel, an all-natural gel that quickly provides pain relief without numbing, can be applied after surgery, with use continuing at home. Added bonus: It helps protect the incision site from infection.
Using over-the-counter pain relievers
Together with non-opioid pain relief measures like those mentioned above, many patients are able to maintain their comfort after surgery with over-the-counter pain medications. For most patients with moderate pain, we recommend ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin IB), which is available over the counter or by prescription. For moderate to severe pain, we advise adding over-the-counter acetaminophen (Tylenol). The two medications can be alternated with a slight overlap so patients don’t feel pain toward the end of their last dose’s effective period. For more involved procedures, we may recommend that patients take Tylenol together with ibuprofen in the days just after surgery.
If your pain is severe and can’t be alleviated with non-opioid pain medications, take only the amount your doctor prescribed and stop taking it as soon as your pain improves and can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers.
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