A method of averting opioid addiction in a patient is disclosed. The method can be applied to a patient suffering from moderate to severe low back pain (LBP). The method comprises: diagnosing the patient as suffering from low back； administering to the patient a pharmaceutical composition comprising a therapeutically effective amount of an antibody that binds specifically to nerve growth factor (NGF) or an antigen binding fragment thereof； and avoiding administration of an opioid to the patient, and thereby relieving pain, and averting opioid addiction in a patient.
