Arthritis, joint pain, lower back pain, muscle aches: these common ailments can result from a number of causes and can severely limit your ability to perform even the most basic tasks. As a result, many people take pain relief medication to help them get through the day. But is a pill always the best way to relieve chronic aches and pains? With the increasing prevalence of pain killer addiction, it may be preferable to turn to alternative pain relief products, such as a pain relief patches.

Pain medication is relatively common, and often perfectly innocuous. When it comes to treating chronic pain, however, many physicians will prescribe stronger products, including opiate and narcotic medications. Unfortunately, due to a combination of persistent pain and the nature of the drugs themselves, many people become physically reliant on the medication. This addiction is just as debilitating as alcoholism or other dependence issues and often requires treatment, rehabilitation and counseling.

Even if a patient does not become addicted to prescription pain medication, there are other risks. What few people remember is that pills are processed by the liver and go on to affect pain receptors in the brain; as a result, many people are unable to operate heavy machinery or perform other tasks after taking pain medication. Some people will even find that their pain tolerance has decreased in reaction to the medication, increasing their daily pain levels. While taking a pill may seem like an easy way to become pain free, there are a number of possible consequences that can affect your daily life.

In contrast, external products like pain relief patches have no risk of addiction while providing similar results. Unlike pain pills, pain patches target the afflicted area instead of the brain’s pain receptors, which can often result in quicker pain relief. This also means that pain relief patches can be used at work, whether you’re handling heavy machinery or simply typing at a desk. Additionally, pain patches come in a variety of size, making them the perfect remedy for lower back pain, arthritis and more. In some cases, prescription pain medication may be the best course of action for healing a medical problems. However, for everything else, consider alternative methods to avoid potential side effects.