In addition, the things the doctors said was exactly right: pain can be a hugely important signal, especially when you're healing. It tells you of you're overexerting yourself, it tells you what you need to do to heal properly, it tells you when you're getting better. Dulling pain has a significant cost.

I don't think people should suffer pain "needlessly" either, but pain has a purpose. Long-term health consequences (whether they are risk of addiction, or a worse healing process) has to be part of the calculus when making decisions about pain management.