Nonopioid Therapies

What to know

Opioids are just one option for treating pain. You can talk to your doctor about ways to manage your pain that do not involve prescription opioids. Other options, including therapies that don't involve medications, may work just as well or better and have fewer risks and side effects.

A physical therapist working with a patient experiencing pain.

Nonopioid therapies can be more effective and safer than opioids

You can talk to your doctor about ways to manage your pain that do not involve prescription opioids. Patients with pain should receive treatment that provides the greatest benefit relative to risks. Evidence suggests that some nonopioid treatments used for many types of pain, including therapies that don't involve medications, may actually work better for some conditions and have fewer risks and side effects.

Depending on the type of pain you are experiencing, options may include:

  • Acetaminophen (Tylenol®), ibuprofen (Advil®), naproxen (Aleve®)
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) – a psychological, goal-directed approach in which patients learn how to modify physical, behavioral, and emotional triggers of pain and stress
  • Exercise therapy, including physical therapy
  • Certain medications for depression or for seizures, some of which can also treat pain
  • Interventional therapies, like injections
  • Exercise
  • Weight loss
  • Other therapies such as acupuncture and massage

Talk to your doctor about pain treatment options‎

Opioids are just one option for treating pain. Other options work just as well or better and have fewer risks and side effects.

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Content Source:
National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
  • Dowell D, Ragan KR, Jones CM, Baldwin GT, Chou R. CDC Clinical Practice Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Pain — United States, 2022. MMWR Recomm Rep 2022;71(No. RR-3):1–95. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.rr7103a1.