{"id":7515,"date":"2016-07-06T09:00:31","date_gmt":"2016-07-06T09:00:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/2016\/07\/06\/dealing-with-chronic-pain-naturally\/"},"modified":"2023-02-21T12:09:38","modified_gmt":"2023-02-21T12:09:38","slug":"dealing-with-chronic-pain-naturally","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/dealing-with-chronic-pain-naturally\/","title":{"rendered":"Alternative Treatments For Chronic Pain: Meditation Vs Opioids"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"7515\" class=\"elementor elementor-7515\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-10c5ab63 elementor-section-full_width elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"10c5ab63\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-3c733008\" data-id=\"3c733008\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4d37fba1 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"4d37fba1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>In the Guardian, recent articles have been exploring the <a href=\"\\&quot;https:\/\/www.theguardian.com\/science\/2016\/may\/25\/opioid-epidemic-prescription-painkillers-heroin-addiction\\&quot;\">opioid crisis<\/a> in America. Characterised by easy access to prescription painkillers which made people dependent on the drugs, then a subsequent crackdown which drove already addicted patients to heroin, it\u2019s an insight into what can go wrong as society tries to cope with pain. As opioid addiction causes huge social and personal problems, people are asking, do we need to start dealing with chronic pain naturally?<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c0e43ca elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"c0e43ca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/find-a-course\" class=\"elementor-button-link elementor-button elementor-size-sm\" role=\"button\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-icon elementor-align-icon-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fab fa-discourse\"><\/i>\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Find an upcoming course<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-07cd387 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"07cd387\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h2>The Problem With Chronic Pain<\/h2><p>Chronic pain is a huge issue, with the cost of back pain alone accounting for 20% of the UK\u2019s entire health expenditure and almost 10 million Britians suffering pain almost daily. While the UK is not experiencing the same fallout from chronic pain (and in particular its often criminal mismanagement) that the United States is, this is an issue which affects people across the globe.<\/p><p>We\u2019ve come a long way from giving people a bottle of rum and something to clench their teeth on when it comes to treating pain, but as much progress as we\u2019ve made there\u2019s still shortcomings in our methods. America\u2019s huge problem with opioid painkillers serves to highlight this.<\/p><p>These painkillers are physically addictive, but also create a reliance in those who, understandably, can\u2019t face the idea of their pain coming back. Those who are in pain are particularly vulnerable, and it can be argued that the particular nature of the American healthcare system allowed for their exploitation by unscrupulous people (some of which have rightfully been prosecuted or struck off the doctor\u2019s register).<\/p><p>Even those with temporary pain, or pain that could have been dealt with otherwise, found themselves addicted to opioids that were prescribed by doctors that didn\u2019t have their best interests at heart. The Guardian articles on the subject describes patients that were never asked about their pain, and for whom no attempts were made to reduce their dosage over time, Once addicted, this poor care spelt personal disaster. When the US government reactively tightened the rules on prescription drugs, they inadvertently made street heroin the only option.<\/p><h3>What Are The Options For Dealing with Chronic Pain Naturally?<\/h3><p>It\u2019s in this context that Forbes recently asked, can meditation <a href=\"\\&quot;http:\/\/www.forbes.com\/sites\/alicegwalton\/2016\/06\/04\/could-meditation-help-reduce-the-need-for-opioids\/#7678727f3452\\&quot;\">help address the opioid epidemic<\/a>? Meditation can certainly help when we are dealing with chronic pain naturally. It does this by addressing the stress which can trigger and exacerbate it, putting people in a better frame of mind and helping with the production of naturally occurring opioids within our systems.<\/p><p>While prescription opioids will always have a place in medicine (unless we come up with anything better), it\u2019s clear that we need a more holistic approach when it comes to pain. America\u2019s problems are a particularly extreme case, and a cautionary tale of what happens when you don\u2019t regulate addictive medicines, but people should be able to treat their pain without fear of becoming dependent.<\/p><p>The answer may lie in moving away from a one-size-fits-all approach. By including varying levels of both natural and traditional medicines tailored to the patient and applied under the genuinely caring supervision of experts, we may find a much healthier and sustainable way of dealing with chronic pain.<\/p><p><i>If you are having any issues with pain, please get in touch and we\u2019ll be happy to chat. <\/i><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-50 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-a9f7cc1\" data-id=\"a9f7cc1\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-inner-section elementor-element elementor-element-ddbd16a elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"ddbd16a\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-inner-column elementor-element elementor-element-7a18981\" data-id=\"7a18981\" data-element_type=\"column\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a3e1200 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"a3e1200\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"474\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/beeja-text-logo.png\" class=\"attachment-full size-full wp-image-723\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/beeja-text-logo.png 474w, https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/beeja-text-logo-300x134.png 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 474px) 100vw, 474px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-5e07850 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"5e07850\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.13.3 - 28-05-2023 *\/\n.elementor-heading-title{padding:0;margin:0;line-height:1}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title[class*=elementor-size-]>a{color:inherit;font-size:inherit;line-height:inherit}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-small{font-size:15px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-medium{font-size:19px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-large{font-size:29px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xl{font-size:39px}.elementor-widget-heading .elementor-heading-title.elementor-size-xxl{font-size:59px}<\/style><h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">The Benefits of Beeja Meditation<\/h2>\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-74027f1 elementor-icon-list--layout-traditional elementor-list-item-link-full_width elementor-widget elementor-widget-icon-list\" data-id=\"74027f1\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"icon-list.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<link rel=\"stylesheet\" href=\"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-content\/plugins\/elementor\/assets\/css\/widget-icon-list.min.css\">\t\t<ul class=\"elementor-icon-list-items\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-double-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Reduce stress and anxiety<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-double-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Greater clarity and calm<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-double-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Increase focus<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-double-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Enhance relationships<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-double-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Sleep better<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li class=\"elementor-icon-list-item\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-icon\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<i aria-hidden=\"true\" class=\"fas fa-angle-double-right\"><\/i>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-icon-list-text\">Feel energised<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-bd4f552 elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"bd4f552\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"512\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/blog-02.jpg\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-image-901\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/blog-02.jpg 512w, https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/01\/blog-02-150x300.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 512px) 100vw, 512px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In the Guardian, recent articles have been exploring the opioid crisis in America. Characterised by easy access to prescription painkillers which made people dependent on the drugs, then a subsequent crackdown which drove already addicted patients to heroin, it\u2019s an insight into what can go wrong as society tries to cope with pain. As opioid [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":16210,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-site-content-layout":"","site-content-style":"default","site-sidebar-style":"default","ast-global-header-display":"","ast-banner-title-visibility":"","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","astra-migrate-meta-layouts":"default","ast-page-background-enabled":"default","ast-page-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"ast-content-background-meta":{"desktop":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"tablet":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""},"mobile":{"background-color":"var(--ast-global-color-5)","background-image":"","background-repeat":"repeat","background-position":"center center","background-size":"auto","background-attachment":"scroll","background-type":"","background-media":"","overlay-type":"","overlay-color":"","overlay-opacity":"","overlay-gradient":""}},"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-7515","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-beeja-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7515","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=7515"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7515\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":16214,"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7515\/revisions\/16214"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/16210"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=7515"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=7515"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beejameditation.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=7515"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}