Category: Back Pain | Author: Stefano Sinicropi | Date: February 24, 2026
Although medical experts continue to try and improve the safety and effectiveness of opioid painkillers, they still carry a risk of dependance, addiction and overdose. Moreover, we’ve learned that although they can do wonders for a person’s back pain symptoms, opioids aren’t great at tackling the root problem, so they aren’t a great long term option. Prescription painkillers have started to fall out of favor with patients seeking back pain relief, and that’s especially true when looking at younger generations. In today’s blog, we take a closer look at why younger generations are continuing to shift away from opioids as a treatment option for their back issue.
Why Fewer Young Adults Are Turning To Opioids To Manage Back Pain
This shift away from prescription painkillers isn’t led by one generational change. There are a number of factors that have played a role in younger generations looking elsewhere for long-term treatment for back pain issues. Here’s a look at some of those factors:
- Not Very Effective – Painkillers can be an effective component of a comprehensive treatment plan, but as we mentioned above, they aren’t a great long-term treatment option because they don’t target the underlying problem. They can do wonders for a patient in the aftermath of a surgical procedure when pain is at its most intense, but for strains, sprains, tears and disc issues, they really only mask symptoms in the short-term, so many younger adults are realizing they aren’t a super effective option.
- Improved Understanding Of What Works – Both patient and provider have a better understanding of what treatment options tend to yield the best results, and it’s not opioids. Proactive solutions are almost always best – exercise, dietary changes, weight loss, physical therapy, surgery, etc. These will help you get back to a pre-injury level of function, while opioids will only provide you with short-term comfort.
- Cannabis – In recent years, Minnesota has approved cannabis for medical and recreational use. Younger generations have been shown to be more likely to turn to cannabis for its pain relief properties over other options that can be more dangerous and addictive, like prescription painkillers.
- Cost Barrier – Even with insurance, different types of painkillers can be expensive, and in this economy, who can afford to shell out hundreds of dollars a month for a treatment that isn’t going to target the underlying issue. The cost-benefit ratio just isn’t there for younger generations.
- More Willing To Seek Medical Care – We don’t want to paint generations with a wide brush, but it does seem that younger generations are more likely to seek out professional care for a health issue than older adults who either don’t believe their condition is serious or worth having it examined by a doctor. Younger generations seem to be more health conscious than older generations were, meaning young adults nowadays are more willing to seek out professional intervention and lean on a doctor’s proactive care plan than older adults.
- Opioid Crisis – Finally, the opioid crisis has been a real problem in the last decade or two. We’ve seen overdose deaths rise as opioid prescriptions increased across the nation, and now there has been a professional shift away from prescribing opioids to anyone who may benefit from some pain relief. Doctors have been encouraged to recommend proactive treatments in lieu of painkillers for many common ailments, and so fewer young adults even get offered opioids when they seek professional care.
We believe that painkillers can be instrumental in helping you overcome your back issue, but they aren’t for everyone. To learn more about the best way to manage your back issue, connect with Dr. Sinicropi and the team at Midwest Spine & Brain Institute today at (651) 430-3800.
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