Doctors increasingly prescribing opioids has led, in part, to widespread misuse across the country. Because they’re so highly addictive, the opioid epidemic is now a public health emergency that East Orange, New Jersey, also struggles with.1
In Essex County, where East Orange is located, 3,593 people were admitted to rehab centers in 2017 for heroin and other opiates, which is up from 3,204 in 2016.2,3
As some health care providers reduce the number of prescriptions they write, they’re looking into alternative forms of pain management, such as the following, which can be coupled with responsible use of over-the-counter pain medication:4
- Physical therapy: A physical therapist can create an exercise program that increases your ability to function while decreasing the amount of pain you experience.
- Whirlpools and deep-muscle massages: These can help relieve stress and relax your body so it is more receptive to treatment.
- Acupuncture: This has been used for centuries to interrupt pain signals in the body.
- Injections or nerve blocks: These can interrupt muscle spasms and nerve signals to decrease pain.
- Surgery: This may be needed if other treatments aren’t effective and can be highly successful in correcting abnormalities that may be responsible for the pain you’re experiencing.
Search our directory for East Orange rehab centers for nearby treatment programs that can help you deal with your dependence on opioids. Remember that each center is different, so if you don’t find one that fits your needs in East Orange, you may find one nearby within Essex County.
Sources
- S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2018). What is the U.S. Opioid Epidemic?
- New Jersey Substance Abuse Monitoring System. (2017). Admission Records (1/1/2017 – 12/31/2017).
- Department of Human Services Division of Mental Health and Addiction Services Office of Planning, Research, Evaluation, and Prevention. (2017). New Jersey drug and alcohol abuse treatment substance abuse overview 2016 Essex County.
- American Society of Anesthesiologists. (2018). Non-Opioid Treatment.