Using Alcohol to Ease Chronic Pain? Why It’s a Bad Idea in Ohio

Many people turn to alcohol to ease their chronic pain. In fact, people have been using alcohol to alleviate their pain for centuries, as alcohol has been known to have a numbing effect on the body.

Studies have long confirmed that alcohol can lower pain, and more recent research has found that over one-quarter of people who deal with chronic pain use alcohol to minimize their discomfort.

Yet while alcohol might have a temporary effect on reducing chronic pain, the consequences can put people at risk for all sorts of harmful health issues, not the least of which is alcoholism.

What Does Alcohol Do to the Body?

Usually, when people are using alcohol to treat their pain, they typically consume a lot more than what is safe for the body according to health guidelines. That is because it usually takes consuming an excessive amount of alcohol for an individual to feel the sought-after effects.

The more alcohol is being consumed to treat chronic pain, the more tolerant the body becomes. Thus, more alcohol will consistently be required to achieve the pain-numbing effects for which users look. By constantly increasing alcohol intake and tolerance levels, a person can quickly and easily develop a dependence on alcohol.

Drinking too much alcohol on a regular basis in an effort to alleviate pain can actually make chronic pain worse. That is because excessive alcohol use over a long period of time can create small fiber peripheral neuropathy, which occurs when the peripheral nerves are damaged. This is associated with alcoholism and is what causes an increase in pain.

When a person does not consume alcohol for a while, withdrawal symptoms will start to kick in, which can actually increase pain sensitivity. In turn, people will be more enticed to continue turning to alcohol to avoid an increase in pain related to alcohol withdrawal.

If you are taking any prescribed or over-the-counter pain medication at the same time that you are drinking alcohol, you can put your body at an even bigger risk of danger. Mixing alcohol and pain medication can be harmful and even deadly in some cases. If you are taking any sedative medications to deal with your pain, mixing that with alcohol can elevate the sedative effects and can lead to overdose. If you mix alcohol with aspirin or acetaminophen, you run the risk of gastric bleeding and liver failure.

Reaching for alcohol to deal with your chronic pain is never a good idea. What you need is a customized and effective treatment program to help you deal with your pain effectively without depending on alcohol.

Why You Need an Ohio Alcohol Rehab Facility

If you have developed a dependence on alcohol to deal with your chronic pain, then you need help from an Ohio alcohol rehab center. Your problem with alcoholism as it relates to your chronic pain must be addressed appropriately in order for you to eliminate your need for alcohol.

Once your body develops a constant need for alcohol – whether to deal with your pain or simply because of relentless cravings – you need outside help. Ohio alcohol rehab is your best bet to help you beat your addiction once and for all.

While in a medically-supervised rehab facility, you will have constant supervision and support while detoxing your body. The withdrawal symptoms that come with stopping alcohol abuse can be too much for the average addict to handle, and treatment facilities can help you safely and effectively detox while simultaneously helping you to manage your chronic pain.

Once you have detoxed, you will be part of a customized treatment program that will involve various types of care to help you overcome your addiction to alcohol and eliminate your need for it in order to mask your pain. The time to beat your addiction and treat it is now. Contact us to find out how treatment can help!