The survey found that 65% of Americans are more worried about managing their pain than the risks of opioid addiction, but more than two-thirds (68%) would be willing to try opioid-free pain management after surgery.

"It's very important for us to keep in mind that people do have pain and people do need pain control. The solution is not to just pull opioids away from people and leave them to fend for themselves," said Luke Elms, MD, a general surgeon at Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital. "That is a real problem after surgery that needs to be addressed in a compassionate manner."

Dr. Elms has implemented a protocol that uses common over-the-counter drugs like acetaminophen, ibuprofen and muscle relaxers. Used in coordination, these safer medications can offer powerful pain relief that is more targeted to a patient's specific areas of pain than the blanket coverage of opioids. It also helps patients recover faster without the side effects that accompany opioids like nausea, dizziness and constipation.

"When I talk to patients and reassure them that we're going to be replacing opioids with a much more effective and safe method, and really talk to them about the risks of opioids that have become much more evident with the research that's come out recently, most patients are very open to the idea," Dr. Elms said.