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Know The Risks of Taking Opioid Painkillers

The long-term effects of opioids are concerning to doctors and patients alike, and it’s essential to know what to watch for if you’re taking them to treat pain.
opioid painkillers
December 2022. This article is independently written by Shelby Golding. All opinions given are hers. Shelby has been certified as a personal trainer and nutritional specialist since 2007. In 2008, she found her passion for writing about these topics and hasn’t looked back.

opioid painkillers

Opioid painkillers are some of the most prescribed medications in the United States. They are typically used to treat moderate to severe pain and are often prescribed following surgery or an injury. Unfortunately, while they can be very effective at managing pain, there are also some serious risks associated with taking opioids.

This guide explores what you need to know about the risks of opioid painkillers before you start taking them.

What Are Opioid Painkillers?

Opioid painkillers are a type of medication used to manage pain. They work by binding to certain receptors in the brain and spinal cord, reducing the perception of pain. Opioid painkillers include medications such as:

  • Codeine
  • Fentanyl
  • Hydrocodone
  • Methadone
  • Morphine
  • Oxycodone

Why Do People Take Opioid Painkillers?

Opioid painkillers treat moderate to severe pain that is not relieved by other pain medications. They may be prescribed for invasive surgeries, severe injuries, cancer, arthritis, or to manage pain during labor and delivery.

Unfortunately, non-prescription (recreational) use of opioids, known as the opioid epidemic, is an issue worldwide, and it is very dangerous.

What Are the Risks Associated With Taking Opioid Painkillers?

What Are the Risks Associated With Taking Opioid Painkillers?
There are several risks associated with taking opioid painkillers, even when taken as directed. Here are some of the risks:

1. Addiction

One of the most significant risks associated with taking opioid painkillers is that they can be very addictive. According to a 2022 report, a staggering three million people in the United States and 16 million worldwide suffer from opioid addiction. In addition, if you have a history of substance abuse or addiction, you may be even more likely to become addicted to opioid painkillers.

2. Physical Dependence

Another risk of taking opioid painkillers is that you can develop a dependence on them, which differs from addiction in that it refers to the physical symptoms experienced in your body, not the behavior associated with addiction. When you become dependent on opioids, your body becomes accustomed to the presence of the drug and typically needs increasingly larger doses to achieve the same pain-relieving effect. If you suddenly stop taking opioids, you may experience withdrawal symptoms, such as:

  • Anxiety
  • Insomnia
  • Nausea
  • Sweating
  • Diarrhea
  • Muscle aches

3. Respiratory Depression

Another serious risk associated with taking opioid painkillers is respiratory depression, which refers to slowing down your breathing. In severe cases, it can stop your breathing completely. If you have asthma or another lung condition, you may be more susceptible to this side effect.

4. Gastrointestinal Problems

Opioid painkillers can cause gastrointestinal problems, such as constipation and nausea. In some cases, they can also lead to more severe issues, such as intestinal blockages.

5. Overdose

Another serious risk associated with taking opioid painkillers is overdose. These drugs can slow down your breathing and heart rate, and taking too much of them can lead to death. In fact, opioids are one of the leading causes of drug overdoses in the United States.

If you are taking opioid painkillers, it’s essential to know exactly how much you should take each day. And in case of accidental overdose, you should also know the signs of overdose so you can contact emergency services immediately. The signs of opioid overdose include:

  • Cold and clammy skin
  • Slowed or undetectable breathing
  • Unresponsiveness
  • Unconsciousness
  • Snoring or gurgling sounds during unconsciousness
  • Lip or fingernail discoloration
If you suspect you have overdosed on opioids or are exhibiting any of these symptoms, call 911 or your local emergency services immediately. And if someone you know is showing these signs, try to wake them up and ask the 911 operator for instructions on performing rescue breathing. In addition, turning the person on their side as you wait for the ambulance can help prevent choking.

 6. Physical Side Effects

In addition to addiction and overdose, several other serious side effects can occur when taking opioid painkillers. These include constipation, nausea, vomiting, drowsiness, and dizziness. Some people have also reported hallucinations and delusions when taking these drugs. Talk to your doctor immediately if you experience any of these side effects.

7. Drug Interactions

Opioid painkillers can interact with other medications, causing various side effects. For example, they can interact with some antidepressants and increase the risk of serotonin syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition.

Opioids can also interact with muscle relaxers, anti-seizure medications, and some antibiotics. Always talk to your doctor about every prescription and medicine you currently take before starting an opioid prescription to avoid potential interactions.

What Can You Do About an Opioid Problem?

If you or someone you know is struggling with opioid addiction, several resources are available to help. The first step is to talk to your doctor. They can help you taper off the drugs and find other ways to manage your pain. There are also several addiction counselors and therapists who specialize in helping people recover from addiction.

Finally, several support groups, such as Narcotics Anonymous, can provide you with additional support and resources. You can also contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration 365 days a year, 24/7.

Are There Alternatives to Opioids?

While opioids can be an effective way to manage pain, they are not the only option. There are a lot of other pain management strategies that can be effective, such as:

  • Physical therapy
  • Adhesives like the Kailo Pain Patch
  • Acupuncture
  • Massage therapy
  • Exercise
  • Relaxation techniques
  • Cognitive behavioral therapy

Talk to your doctor about all the options available to you so that you can find the one that is best for you.

Know the Facts Before Taking Any Opioid Painkiller

Yes, opioid painkillers can effectively manage pain, but they have serious risks. As a result, many doctors and patients prefer to avoid them altogether whenever possible, and with good reason. While short-term prescriptions might be necessary following a severe injury or an invasive surgery, such as a knee replacement, they’re rarely the safest long-term pain management option.

If you’re looking for alternatives to opioids for ongoing pain management, give the Kailo Pain Patch a try! Simply apply it near the site of pain and breathe a sigh of relief. You can wear Kailo all day during any activity, and it’s designed to relieve pain in seconds.

The best part? Kailo doesn’t involve any oral medication! The Kailo Pain Patch is theorized to work by interfering with the body’s electrical system. And a recent clinical study showed that 100% of patients stop prescription medication after using Kailo for pain relief.

Disclaimer: Kailo should not be used if you have a pacemaker or if you are pregnant. Always consult your doctor or health care professional before using Kailo.

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Everything You Need To Know About Kailo

We offer a no-hassle, no restrictions, 100% money-back guarantee on our patches.

Over 90% of our customers have found an increase in comfort. Our goal is to help everyone get relief. If you feel Kailo isn’t working for you within 90 days or Flex is not working for you within 30 days,​ we’ll gladly take it back. Element has a 90 day return policy and a lifetime warranty so try it risk free!

Before returning your Kailo, we would love a chance to make sure you’ve found the correct placement. Please contact us at support@gokailo.com

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Will Kailo help my condition?

Most common ailments experienced by Kailo Customers

Chronic Back Pain

Kailo patches are engineered to help many types of back pain and fit anywhere on your back.
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MENSTRUAL PAIN

The Kailo pain patch has shown to be capable of relieving or eliminating pain from menstrual cramps.
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KNEE PAIN

Kailo drug-free pain relief has shown to be effective in targeting knee pain.
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ARTHRITIS

Many Kailo users report the relief of painful arthritic symptoms.
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OSTEOPOROSIS

Kailo customers report significant relief from Osteoporosis pain while using Kailo.
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These are the most common ailments customers suffer from. Please contact us if you would like information about Kailo’s effectiveness / use for other ailments.

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The final results are in, and they’re incredibly positive.

On January 30, 2022 Pain Relief Technologies LLC and Kailo Pain Patch® announced the IRB-Approved PREVENT study’s final results. The trial produced positive results in patients with mild, moderate, and severe pain conditions, with resounding support from nearly all participants.

Check out the full results published in the international peer-reviewed journal Anesthesia and Pain Research. The research article includes everything you need to know about the study procedures, assessments, patients, methods, and outcome of the trial.

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In 30 days, users experienced significantly reduced pain, enhanced quality of life, and preferred the patch over oral medications.

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RETURN POLICY

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Returns

We hope you will be happy with your purchase. If for any reason you are not satisfied, we hope to make it right. Please review our return policy below, select a preferred method of contact and we’ll do our very best to accommodate your return.

Reducing pain is your first priority and it is also ours. We have designed our return policy to promote that.

 

These are our return policy best practices:

  • Take all of the time offered in our return policy to allow you time to find the right placement for your patch.
  • Simply contacting us before the return policy window is over and getting started on the steps gives you access to a full return.
  • If your purchase included any “Free” patches, you must return the free patches to receive reimbursement for the paid patches.
  • We offer returns on gifted products. An order number will be required to process a return. Gift recipients are not entitled to the refund.
  • If you send products to us for a refund and you haven’t followed the return policy steps, we will not ship the products back to you.
  • We offer return shipping labels for domestic purchases of The Element Patch only. All other products must be returned at the customers’ expense.

     

RETURN POLICY STEPS

First Step: Contact our customer service team at support@gokailo.com and let them know that you’d like to return your products.

Second Step: Our customer service team member will ask you some questions about your efforts to reduce pain using our patches. Please work with us through this process because we want to give you the best opportunity possible to eliminate your pain. They will ask you:

  1. Have you seen our placement videos that give you ideas of where to place the patch for your specific pain?
    CLICK HERE TO SEE THE PLACEMENT VIDEOS
  2. Have you scheduled a 20 minute video call with our placement concierge service because sometimes it requires a demonstration to get the correct placement?
    CLICK HERE TO SEE THE CONCIERGE APPOINTMENT SCHEDULE

Third Step: Our customer service team will send you a return authorization form. If you are returning The Element patch and live in the U.S., our customer service team will also provide you a prepaid envelope to return the product.

 

Fourth Step: Mail your product(s) to the address on the return authorization form within 2 weeks from the time we email you the return authorization form. See the detail below about return policy lengths by product and what should be returned.

 

Fifth Step: Our returns team will receive your return, compare it to what you purchased, and refund you according to what you returned. Once returned products are received, refunds are issued within 3-5 business days to the credit card that was used to make the purchase.

 

 

THE FLEX PAIN PATCH

Return Policy Length: Contact Us Within 30 days
Subscriptions are not eligible for returns

 

What should be returned:

  • The Flex Pain patch
  • Do not return the packaging
  • Do not return any of the 5 free adhesives that came with the patch

 

THE KAILO PAIN PATCH

Return Policy Length: Contact Us Within 90 days
Subscriptions are not eligible for returns

 

What should be returned:

    • The Kailo Pain patch
    • Do not return the packaging
    • Do not return any of the 3 free adhesives that came with the patch
    • Do not return the felt protective pocket

 

KAILO ADHESIVE 10-PACKS

Return Policy Length: Contact Us Within 90 Days
Subscriptions are not eligible for returns

 

What should be returned:

    • As many adhesives as you have remaining. You will be refunded for Adhesives that are unused and undamaged.

 

EXTRA STRENGTH ADHESIVE 10-PACKS

Return Policy Length: Contact Us Within 90 Days
Subscriptions are not eligible for returns

 

What should be returned:

    • As many adhesives as you have remaining. You will be refunded for Adhesives that are unused and undamaged.

 

FLEX ADHESIVE 5-PACKS

Return Policy Length: Contact Us Within 30 Days
Subscriptions are not eligible for returns

 

What should be returned:

  • As many adhesives as you have remaining. You will be refunded for Adhesives that are unused and undamaged.

 

KT-TAPE ADHESIVES

Return Policy Length: Contact Us Within 90 Days
Subscriptions are not eligible for returns

 

What should be returned:

    • Any package of KT-tape that is unopened, unused, and not purchased through a subscription or part of an Element kit can be returned for a full refund.

 

KAILO COHESIVE BANDAGE

Return Policy Length: Contact Us Within 90 Days
Subscriptions are not eligible for returns

 

What should be returned:

    • Any package of Kailo Cohesive tape that is unopened, unused, and not purchased through a subscription or part of an Element kit can be returned for a full refund.

 

THE KAILO ARMBAND

Return/Exchange Policy Length: Contact Us Within 30 days

 

What should be returned:

  • The Kailo Armband
  • Do not return the packaging
  • We offer one size exchange for the Armband if needed

 

NEED ASSISTANCE?

Please email us at the link below and include your name and order number for questions about a previous purchase.

support@gokailo.com

GET IN TOUCH

Kailo is far more than just a business for us. If you need to reach us for any reason, please email support@gokailo.com. A live agent can answer questions about our company, our products, placement help for your specific pain, and order-and-return information.

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