An opioid is a type of narcotic that slows down your central nervous system and creates feelings of euphoria. Once you become addicted to opiates, your brain will need the drug to function normally. Besides an increased craving for opiates, your withdrawal will also lead to physical complications, such as a decrease in your water intake. Reducing your fluid consumption will then lead to an increased risk of dehydration.
It is so uncomfortable to withdraw from opiates that it is almost impossible to do it on your own. You will experience an onslaught of alarming symptoms. They will include intense pain, nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Also, withdrawal will not only cause a wide range of unpleasant symptoms, but it can also lead to other serious health complications. For these reasons, you should not use any natural treatments that can ease withdrawal symptoms as a standalone treatment without the supervision of your physician. All treatments, whether medicated or natural, can be dangerous if not supervised by a medical doctor familiar with opiate withdrawal treatments.
Managing Opiate Withdrawal Symptoms
Several natural methods can relieve your discomfort and ease the detoxification process. Unfortunately, none can substitute for well-researched medical treatments. So while natural treatments provide symptomatic relief, you can’t rely on them as an alternative to conventional medicine. It’s difficult to break your habit of using opiates without also using medication and medical intervention.
Abrupt cessation of opiates after prolonged use can cause extreme withdrawal symptoms. If you’re addicted to opiates, you will experience withdrawal symptoms as soon as you try to quit. While your symptoms might vary from what other people experience when they quit using opiates, your symptoms will usually include vomiting, diarrhea, insomnia, anxiety, and agitation. They may symptoms also include severe pain, insomnia, fever, chills, and muscle aches.
Adopting a Healthy Diet
One of the most common co-occurring health issues of opiate addiction is nutritional deficiency. Once your body becomes depleted of nutrients, this will compromise your immune system and lead to other health problems. All recovering opiate addicts with nutritional deficiencies require proper care and attention since these deficiencies may lead to a relapse. Those addicted to opiates often have calcium and magnesium deficiencies. According to several studies, these individuals have a mortality rate four times higher than the general population. Getting supplemental calcium will help with pain regulation, while supplemental magnesium can help with withdrawal symptoms.
Besides nutritional deficiencies, dehydration is another problem. People who are withdrawing from opiates must also increase their fluid intake in order to maintain their health. As well as experiencing emotionally challenging withdrawal symptoms, such as intense cravings for opiates, you will also experience many physical withdrawal symptoms because of insufficient water in your body. Consequently, hydration is not only good for your health but also addresses dehydration-induced symptoms that occur during opiate withdrawal such as muscle cramps, insomnia, runny nose, nausea, and vomiting.
Hot Baths & Alternative Medicine
Bathing in hot water can help ease some of your withdrawal symptoms as well as provide emotional and psychological relief. Because of the heat, your muscles become relaxed and your blood flow improves. All these effects relieve pain and tension. In particular, the magnesium salt in Epsom salt helps relax your muscles since it draws out toxins to provide relief for your sore muscles and joints. However, desist from hot baths if you are suffering from withdrawal symptoms such as an acute fever. Avoiding hot baths will help you lower your body temperature. By keeping your body cool, you will soothe aching muscles by preventing them from overheating.
Besides allopathic medicine, you can also try alternative medicine practices like acupuncture, which is a form of traditional Chinese medicine. Although it is often used as a complementary treatment for chronic pain and insomnia, you can also use it for managing opiate withdrawal symptoms. Researchers have shown acupuncture stimulates the nervous system and relieves muscle tension. Although this treatment may promise relief, it can still cause complications in your opiate recovery. So, you should still use conventional medical approaches as well.
The first step to overcoming opium addiction is to talk to your doctor. They can provide you with information about treatment facilities available in your area. These centers offer free consultations and information sessions. They do not require you to enroll in their structured treatment programs until you are ready. Since opiate withdrawal symptoms can be uncomfortable, get medical help even if you use natural methods for symptom relief. Call us at 844-903-2111.
