Non-Opioid Pain Management Alternatives Post Surgery

At Virginia Oral & Facial Surgery we are doing our part to combat the opioid epidemic in any way we can including:

• Limiting opioid (narcotic) prescriptions
• Recommending over-the-counter medications
• Offering EXPAREL

 

We encourage you to discuss your concerns about post-op discomfort before your procedure! The best time to do this is at your consultation appointment prior to surgery. It’s important to realize that soreness and discomfort is normal and will improve as swelling subsides. Your pain medication will be carefully chosen based on your procedure, current medications, allergies and medical history.

Often, our doctors recommend over-the-counter medications such as ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen (Aleve) and acetaminophen (Tylenol) which can effectively manage pain and soreness and are far less risky than opioids.

He may also offer you the option of receiving EXPAREL, a long-acting local anesthetic, which is injected into the surgical site and is designed to release into your body over a long period of time for lasting pain relief.  

For more information and resources, check out our Pain Management page , our Safe Medication Disposal page, and the EXPAREL page.