What You Should Know About Opioids and Painkillers | Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter | TED

Pain is your body’s signal that something isn’t right. To help manage it, doctors often prescribe powerful opioids — but they’re not always the best option and can quickly lead to addiction. Illuminating the fine line between substance use and abuse, Dr. Jen Gunter explains what opioids do to your perception of pain, the risks they pose and the questions to ask your doctor about them. (For more on how your body works, tune in to her podcast, Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter, from the TED Audio Collective.) Think you know how your body works? Think again! In this TED original series, Dr. Jen Gunter will share the truth about what’s *really* going on inside you. For more, tune into her podcast, Body Stuff with Dr. Jen Gunter: Follow TED! Twitter: Instagram: Facebook: LinkedIn: TikTok: @tedtoks The TED Talks channel features talks, performances and original series from the world’s leading thinkers and doers. Subscribe to our channel for videos on Technology, Entertainment and Design — plus science, business, global issues, the arts and more. Visit to get our entire library of TED Talks, transcripts, translations, personalized talk recommendations and more. Watch more: TED’s videos may be used for non-commercial purposes under a Creative Commons License, Attribution–Non Commercial–No Derivatives (or the CC BY – NC – ND 4.0 International) and in accordance with our TED Talks Usage Policy: For more information on using TED for commercial purposes (e.g. employee learning, in a film or online course), please submit a Media Request at #TED #health #pain