Totally different circumstances. Hopefully you will never experience constant excruciating pain and be denied any relief. Drugs that are given t0 deal with pain management may not seem necessary to you, but they indeed are when certain situations call for them.
Oh, yes. I have a bad vertebrae in my lower back. I KNOW that kind of pain!
WHISKEY
Seriously, how would a few crates of whiskey handle long term pain. I figure store some in the cellar if ever needed. A century ago that is how it was done.