&quot;Do they just have to suffer or do you &quot;give in&quot; and provide them desired relief?&quot;<p>No. There are plenty of other options for treating their pain without using opioids -- first I would educate them about the relative risks and benefits of, say, acetaminophen&#x2F;APAP. I could use something like intravenous lidocaine or low-dose ketamine, or if it&#x27;s a traumatic type of pain some kind of regional anesthesia. If it&#x27;s more neuropathic, you can use tricyclics or drugs that work on GABA pathways. Beyond all that, I try to talk to people about the harms associated with opiates&#x2F;oids such as hyperalgesia that develops in many long-term users, which is a really significant and underappreciated harm alongside things like addiction and potential respiratory depression.